Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate Court has sentenced a 41-year-old man, Kondwani Maloko Zagwa, to 20 years in prison for defiling his 10-year-old biological daughter.

The court heard through the State Prosecutor Asma Katete that the convict committed the offense on October 5, 2020, after coaxing the victim that he would buy her shoes and clothes in exchange.

Katete further disclosed that the convict took advantage of the absence of his wife, who at that time was in the hospital looking after Zagwa’s elder sister.

Upon her return, the victim informed her mother of the ordeal but the mother warned the minor not to disclose the issue to anyone because doing so would lead to his father’s arrest and that their economic status could be affected as he is a breadwinner.

However, the victim reported the matter to her aunt who informed the police, and the convict was arrested.

The State paraded five witnesses in the case before Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe sentenced him to a 20-year custodial sentence.