A man aged 40 has been sent to jail for 21 years in Mchinji for defiling a year-old daughter.

The court heard that the man did this on several occassions in November last year after he was entrusted to take care of the baby as the mother was out for prayers.

Senior Resident Magistrate, Eliya Zawanda, said sexual abuse, especially defilement, requires stiff punishment, hence he found a jail term of 21 years was appropriate.

Recently defilement cases have been on the rise in the country forcing some quarters to call for castration for all rapists in the country.