Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) – The Lusaka High Court has sentenced Zambia’s well-known musician, Clifford Dimba, popularly known as “General Kanene” to 18 years with hard labour for defiling a 14-year-old school girl.
Lusaka High Court Judge, Chalwe Muchenga, in his ruling on Friday warned that the sentencing is meant to deter would-be offenders because the scourge is escalating.
It was alleged that Dimba, 26, had unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16, contrary to the laws of Zambia.
The Lusaka-based musician was charged with the defilement of the girl on January 31, 2012. He had denied committing the offence.
Last February, Lusaka magistrate Rodgers Kaoma convicted Dimba after he found him guilty of defiling a named Grade 7 pupil and committed him to the High Court for sentencing.
Kaoma said as a musician, Dimba should behave as a role model and not take advantage of his young fans by having unlawful carnal knowledge of them.
Kaoma had also noted that although Dimba had claimed, in his defence that the girl dressed like a sex worker to entice men, the claim was unfounded because a closer analysis of the girl by the court proved the contrary.
Photo: Lusaka Voice
