PRISCILLA CHIPULU, Lusaka
THE Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has found a 72-year-old man accused of defiling his two-year-old grandchild with a case to answer.

This is a case in which Gibson Chilala of Shibuyunji district is charged with defilement of a child.
Details in the matter are that on February 29, 2016, in Lusaka, had unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16.
And the mother to the victim told the court that her child was defiled by her father-in-law when she had gone to the field.
“I do recall very well that it was on 25th February 2016, when I went to the farm with my husband to remove weeds. I left my daughter in the care of my brother-in-law. Around 16:00 hours, I found my child looking unhappy. When I asked my brother-in-law what happened, he told me he left her with her grandfather to look after cattle that was grazing in the field.”
“After I settled down, I went to the kitchen and my daughter followed and narrated what her grandfather had done to her,” said the victim’s mother.
She said her daughter described how Chilala got her to a secluded place next to a path which heads to the market and defiled her.
The victim’s mother checked her child’s private parts, where she found some blood stains.
The mother then told her husband and her mother-in-law who later reported the matter to police.
And after trial concluded yesterday, magistrate Tandose Chabala placed Chilala on his defence.
She said from the evidence adduced in court, it was clear that the accused person had carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16.
“I wish to state that I have closely considered the evidence in this matter and sufficient evidence has been established that there was prima facie case against the offender, and I, therefore, place the accused on his defence,” she said.
She has set September 25 as date for commencement of defence.