Arusha Times, 11 January 2003

Mother inflicts disabling blow on rapist

Convict reaps 30 years in prison plus 12 strokes of cane

By Happy Lazaro

A nineteen-year-old resident of Sombetini area in Arusha municipality, Amedeus Filipo, has been sentenced to serve 30 years in prison after being found guilty of sexually defiling an 11-year-old girl. This incident, according to the public prosecutor, Duan Nyanda, took place in Sombetini area on the 16th of October 2002 at about 12:00 hours.

The girl, was left at home feeding her little sibling with porridge as the mother went to draw water at a communal tap in the area.

While waiting for her turn to get water, the mother heard screams coming from her house and this alarmed the woman who rushed back home to find out what was the problem.

When she arrived home, she was shocked to find the baby on the floor, while the accused was busy defiling her daughter on the bed amid her screams.

Seeing that he was caught red-handed, the accused tried to escape but the mother hit him on the head with a bottle, a blow which sent him down unconscious.

The girl meanwhile was bleeding profusely on the bed as people from the neighborhood flocked to the scene to witness the strange event.

The girl was taken to the hospital after acquiring the PF3 form from the police while the accused got arrested.

Three witnesses testified in court against the defendant while only one witness tried to defend the accused but his testimony proved inconsequential.

Resident Magistrate, Shadrack Ringo sentenced the accused to serve 30 years in prison plus 12 strokes of cane.

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