The Kasungu Senior Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday, August 18, 2022 convicted and sentenced a 30-year-old man, Joseph Phiri, to 21 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling two daughters aged 8 and 3 months respectively.
The court through Police Prosecutor Sub Inspector Dorothy Kanzangaza Chilinde, heard that the convict during the month of September 2021 at Zanda village in the district, defiled the three months old girl when she was left with him by her mother .
The court further learnt that on the stated date the convict who happens to be the biological farther of the baby was asked by his wife to look after her, when she had gone to see her mother in-law. The convict found this chance to defile the baby.
When the mother reached home from her mother in-law, she found the baby crying uncontrollably, she then rushed back to her mother in-law who just applied Vaseline blue seal on the baby's private part.
The second victim an 8 year old girl who is the step daughter to the convict, revealed to her mother that her step father "Phiri" defiled her on December 4, 2021 at the bush and that this was not the first time after her mother questioned her abnormal movements and foul smelling discharges from the girl's private parts.
The mother took both her daughters to Kaluluma hospital where it was proven that they were indeed defiled and also infected with Syphilis. The Medical officer from Kaluluma Health Center called Khamenya Police Unit to intervene into the matter that led to the arrest of the convict.
Passing sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Biar Kamanga concurred with police prosecutor's submission hence sentenced him to first and second counts to 21 years jail term respectively but the sentences to run concurrently in order to deter other would-be offenders.
Phiri comes from Zanda Village in Traditional Authority Kaluluma in Kasungu District.
Source : Nkhoma Radio
