By NORMA SIAME –

A MPIKA man who poured boiling water on his five-year-old step daughter has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by a Kasama High Court.

Before judge Petronella Ngulube was Christopher Chibesakunda, who was found guilty of one count of assault on a child.

According to evidence before the court, Chibesakunda on July 28, 2013 in Mpika arrived home from a drinking spree and found his wife Linnet cooking.

He was, however, unhappy that she was cooking while their youngest child was ill.

The wife responded that their other child was not sick and needed to eat, hence her decision to prepare the meal.

Chibesakunda was incensed by the response and got a pot of boiling water which he poured on the five-year-old step daughter.

The child, who sustained burns on her back, shoulders and arms started screaming, prompting her father to run away in fear of being lynched.

Linnet proceeded to report the matter to the police, who went in search for Chibesakunda and found him holed up in a thatched bathroom in Shanghai township at his sister’s house.

Chibesakunda initially protested that he had poured the water on the child accidentally, but investigations by Police inspector, Sindoyi Lubasi revealed that the convict had poured water on the child willfully.

Chibesakunda felt Linnet was giving undue attention to the child that was not sick as opposed to his biological child that was sick at the time.

Ms Justice Ngulube in sentencing Chibesakunda said there was overwhelming evidence against him and was satisfied the conviction was appropriate.