By SYLVIA MWEETWA-
A TWENTY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Chibombo farmer who admitted indecently assaulting his four-year-old step daughter has been jailed for 20 years.
In passing  sentence  Kabwe High Court  Judge, Ms Justice Elita Mwikisa said it was clear that  the convict  lacked  self  control and ended indecently assaulting the child.
Salim Phiri on March 9, 2012 indecently assaulted the girl at Nkabila village in Chibombo.
During the trial the  state called  six  witnesses among them the wife to Phiri who testified  that on the fateful night she decided to sleep  on  the  floor with a newly  born baby while her  husband slept on the  bed  with the girl.
She told the court that she only discovered that the girl had been indecently assaulted the following day when she took  the girl for a bath.
She noticed some whitish stuff on the girls’ thighs and when asked what had happened, the girl revealed that it was her father who was touching her private parts.
The girl also narrated that while she was asleep, the father was touching her  private parts  and covered her mouth.
At the closure of the case, the accused was found with a case to answer and put on his defence.
Phiri told the court that he was dreaming that he was having sex with his wife but ended up ejaculating on the child.
“Your honour I did not mean to do what I did but I was dreaming that I was sleeping with my wife,” he said.
Ms Justice Mwikisa said his actions were uncalled for and that it was clear that girl child was not safe  even in their homes considering increased cases of sexual  offences in the country.
She said the child had no reasons to lie against him and that she was sending him to prison to reflect on his actions.
The same court  sentenced a 35-year-old Chisamba man to 20 years imprisonment for having carnal knowledge  of his 16-year-old daughter who he later impregnated.
Ms Justice Mwikisa said it was shocking that Abulity Phiri acted in such a manner to his own daughter describing his actions as shameful.
This is in a case in which Phiri was facing a charge of incest and had carnal knowledge of the girl on October 14, 2012.
The court said as a father, Phiri  was supposed to protect his daughter and not to act in the manner he did.