8 -Year-Old Girl Narrates How She Was Defiled

The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday heard how a 23-year-old man threatened to kill an eight-year-old he is alleged to have defiled.
In this matter, Nicolas Menyenshi of Mukulaikwa village is charged with defilement contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
It is alleged that Menyenshi on unknown dates but in July 2014 had carnal knowledge of a person under the age of 16.
Testifying before magistrate Ruth Chilembo, the girl said Menyenshi threatened to kill her if she revealed what he had done to her.
“When he finished doing bad manners to me, he told me that he would kill me if I tell anyone. It was very painful but I went to school afterwards and I did not tell anyone when I got home. I just went to sleep,” she said.
The victim said the accused was supposed to take her to school the day he allegedly defiled her.
“The people I was supposed to go with to school left me behind and I was at home alone. He came and asked me who I was with, then he told me he would take me to school. He said we would use a shorter route and he took me to the bush where he took off all my clothes and did bad manners to me,” the girl said.
And in cross-examination when Menyenshi, who had no legal representation, asked her whether he had offered her anything for her to agree to have sex with him, the victim said she never agreed to anything.
Menyenshi, who earlier insisted that he wanted to confront the girl, quickly ran out of questions, saying that he was confused.
Earlier, the girl’s uncle testified that he noticed that something was wrong with the child during the evening meal.
“I noticed that the girl was not sitting in order when we were eating nshima. My wife went to check her and found that she had some sores on her private parts. The wife to the accused was present on that day,” said Sikazwe.
Trial continues.