Mzuzu Senior Resident Magistrate Court has sentenced a 30 year old Charles David to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 10 year old step daughter.

According to Mzuzu police pubricist Edith Kachotsa, the Court through Prosecutor Sub inspector Charles Chilala heard that on 25 May this year, the convict was chatting with his wife and the step daughter in the kitchen but later he took advantage to Commit the crime after his wife went to bed.

Kachotsa said the convict promised to buy his step daughter a new dress and in the course of defiling the child, his wife quickly came out of the house and found David in the act.

When he was taken to court, David pleaded guilty to the charge but in his mitigation he asked for leniency as he has  family  responsibilities.

However in his submission, Prosecutor Chilala told the court that it is responsibility of step fathers to take care of their daughters and not to treat them as wives.

He further said that these kind of offences are on increase hence victims  end up being traumatized therefore he asked for stiffer punishment for the convict.

Concurring with the state, the magistrate his worship Patrick Kamisa said long sentences are needed in these cases for others to learn a lesson, He then slapped the convict to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.

The convict hails from Manyumba Village, Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje District.