Grandpa 75 to spend 22 years for defiling his six year old grand daughter

THE Kasama High Court yesterday sentenced a 75 year old man of Tungati village in Luwingu district to 22 years imprisonment for defiling his six year old granddaughter.

 Ndola High Court Judge Charles Chanda, sitting in Kasama sent Francis Kangwa to prison after convict pleaded guilty to  charges of defilement, contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

 Facts before the court were that on dates unknown but between 24 and 25^th of August last year, Kangwa had unlawful canal knowledge of his granddaughter at their home.

 And in passing sentence, Judge Chanda stated  that although  he had considered Kangwa’s mitigation, he was sending the offender to prison to deter would be offenders because of the  seriousness of the offence,.

 Judge Chanda further added that because of Kangwa’s advanced age, he will send him to jail for 22 years simple imprisonment with effect from the date of arrest.

 During mitigation, Kangwa asked the court to exercise maximum leniency, saying the time he had spent in police cells had taught him a lesson.

 Meanwhile, Judge Chanda has also sent a 37year old Mpulungu man to 30 years  imprisonment with hard labour after being convicted of sodomy.

This was in a matter in which Kelvin Chanda of Mupata village in Mpulungu district sodomized a two year old boy of the same village.

Passing judgment Judge Chanda said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Chanda had committed the said offense.

He observed that such cases had become so rampant in the community hence the need to ensure that stiffer penalties are meted out to perpetrators.

In mitigation Chanda said he could not remember what transpired on the material day and asked the court for forgiveness.

However, Judge Chanda sent the offender to prison for 30 years with hard labour with effect from the date of his arrest.