Juvenile denies attempted defilement of girl, 8

MULENGA MUSONDA writes THE Choma Juvenile Court has entered an equivocal plea of not guilty in a matter in which a 14-years- old boy is charged with attempted Defilement. In this matter the Grade 7 pupil of a named school has been dragged to Court on allegations that he attempted to defile an 8-year-old Girl. Particulars of the offence are that the juvenile willfully attempted to have unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl child below the age of sixteen. The alleged incident is said to have happened on 2 June 2020 in HalumbaVillage of Chief Mapanza’s Chiefdom in Choma District of Southern Province. When he appeared for plea before Senior Resident Magistrate IdahMupemo whilst in the company of his Father and a Probation Officer, the juvenile admitted the charge. Court: Do you understand the charge? Juvenile: Yes Court: Do you admit or deny? Juvenile: I admit Court: Did you attempt to have carnal knowledge of the Prosecutrix? Juvenile: No, I only held her hand. I wanted to grab money from her. Court: So your intention was not to have sexual intercourse with her? Juvenile: No. Court: I record a plea of not guilty. After entering a plea of not guilty, Magistrate Mupemo granted the juvenile bail in the sum of K1,000 in his own recognisance with two working sureties. The matter was adjourned to 17 June 2020 for trial. The Sun