I N A twist of fate, a 27-year-old jobless man who defiled a 16-yearold girl was handed over to police by the local court which also charged him K25,000 for impregnating her. The man, Fredrick Chiti, admitted impregnating the teenager saying he went out with her and had sex with her on several occasions. Chiti, who was dragged to court by the girl’s mother, Fatima Phiri told magistrate Miyanda Banda he failed to maintain the pregnancy because he has no source of income.

He told the court he admitted impregnating the girl when her mother and other relatives called him for a meeting though he added that he had some doubts about his responsibility because he used to find the girl with other men. But Fatima Phiri, who took Chiti to court, demanded K40,000 in damages for breaking her daughter’s virginity because he had been refusing responsibility of the pregnancy. “Chiti never wanted to come despite being called for family meetings several times,” Phiri said.

She said she wants Chiti to pay her all the money she spent on her daughter who is supposed to go to Grade 10 next year. But Phiri’s daughter told the court that Chiti is the only man she slept with. “Chiti is responsible for my pregnancy, he impregnated me when I was in Grade Nine. I stopped school because my legs get swollen when I sit down for a long time,” the girl said. I n p a s s i n g j u d g e m e n t , magistrate Banda castigated Chiti for sleeping with a m