Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Ntcheu has convicted and sentenced a 40 year old Elias John to 18 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for defiling his 12 year old biological daughter.

The incident happened at Kadzakalowa Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Njolomole in the district.

Ntcheu Police Public relations officer, Hastings Chigalu confirmed the development on Tuesday.

He said the suspect who was a divorcee was convicted on March 23, 2020.

Chigalu said all the children were in the village and the victim was coming over to help his father with household chores when in 2017 he (John) started to canaly know the victim. He threatened to kill her should she reveal to anyone.

“It was in January this year when the victim revealed her painful journey with her own father to her grandmother,” said Chigalu.

Medical examination at Ntcheu District Hospital revealed that the victim was indeed defiled.

“The suspect pleaded not guilty in court and the State paraded five witnesses to secure conviction following the compelling evidence,” Chigalu said

The court slapped the suspect with 18 years IHL to serve as a deterrent to other would be offenders.

Ntcheu Police has recorded 16 defilement cases with ten convictions in recent months.