40-year-old man sentenced to 10 years in prison for throwing 4-month-old baby on the ground

The suspect, Lyman Salima Kamanga, was arrested and charged with acts intended to cause grievous harm.

Malawi: A 40-year-old man from Msumba Village, under Traditional Authority Mankhambira in Nkhata Bay, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for injuring his 4-month-old baby girl by throwing her on the ground for undisclosed reasons, writes Tionge Hara.

The incident took place on November 14, 2022, and was reported to Nkhata Bay Police Station.

Nkhata Bay police spokesperson Sergeant Kondwani James said, "The matter was reported to Nkhata Bay Police Station while the baby’s mother and grandmother proceeded to Nkhata Bay District Hospital where they were further referred to Mzuzu Central Hospital for further diagnosis where it was revealed that the baby’s both legs had fractured bones."

The suspect, Lyman Salima Kamanga, was arrested and charged with acts intended to cause grievous harm.

Despite denying the charge in court, the evidence from three state witnesses, including the medical report, proved the matter beyond a reasonable doubt.

The prosecutor, Senior Superintendent Moja Phiri, asked the court to consider the age of the victim and the fact that the father was supposed to protect his own biological baby, a responsibility he failed to show.

In passing sentence on January 18, 2023, First Grade Magistrate Ezekiel Kamtikana stated that the convict's action would have put the baby's life in jeopardy, and sentenced Kamanga to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, effective from the date of his arrest.