A 53-year-old Ndola man has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for defiling his eight year old granddaughter whom he used to refer to as his “small wife”.

Samson Ngosa, a farmer, also infected his granddaughter with genital warts.

This is in a matter in which Ngosa was charged with defilement contrary to the laws of Zambia.

It was alleged that in March last year, Ngosa inserted his manhood into the eight-year-old victim’s private part.

According to testimony from the victim’s 12-year-old sister, who had been sleeping next to her at the time of the encounter, Ngosa also used to abuse her and he would refer to her young sister as “small wife”.

Court heard that the incident happened whilst their grandmother had gone out for a funeral and when she returned and heard the news, she and Ngosa started fighting.

When the matter came up before Ndola High Court Judge Derrick Mulenga, Ngosa was found guilty of defilement and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

In his defence, Ngosa opted to remain silent, but he called a witness, his wife, who testified that on the material day, she had gone for a funeral.

In her testimony, she admitted that Ngosa was the only man who was at home with the children.

According to medical examination, the victim was found with genital warts.

In mitigation through his advocate, Ngosa stated that he was advanced in age and a first offender who was entitled to leniency, adding that he was remorseful.

Justice Mulenga said he had heard the mitigation and also taken note that Ngosa was advanced in age.

“But at the same time, being advanced works against him. Being a grandfather gives you responsibility to be a protector of grandchildren, to nurture them and give them the best of life and his conduct was contrary. Defiling a child to an extent of giving her a sexually transmitted disease is very bad. I sentence you to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour, ” said Justice Mulenga.