The Chipata High Court has sentenced a man of Katete district to 35 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a ten year old.
Appearing before high court judge Florence Lengalenga was Mabvuto Tembo who was charged with
one count of defilement contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Facts of the offence are that Tembo between January 1 and August 14th 2015 had unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl below the age of sixteen who is also his daughter.
Tembo denied the charge but was convicted by the courts because the state proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, Tembo through legal aid counsel John Phiri asked the courts to exercise maximum lenience on him as he was a first offender.
In delivering judgement, Justice Lengalenga said she had considered what the convict said but that she was going to give him a stiffer punishment because as a parent he was supposed to protect the child and not be a defiler.