A man and his wife in Mchinji have been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing their 13 year old daughter.

Public Relations Officer for Mchinji Police Station Inspector Kaitano Lubrino said they arrested 45 year old Francisco Andrew and his wife Jovira Paul (35) on May 3 2018.

Lubrino said the victim revealed to her grandmother that she was being defiled by her step father in the presence of her mother.

‘’The victim was then warned not to disclose the matter to anyone saying if she does so, the family will remain poor. She continued to say that her parents were doing this in preparing her for marriage,” Kaitano said.

He said the grandmother reported the matter to Kamwendo Police Station.

The victim was taken to Mchinji District Hospital where it was confirmed that she was indeed defiled several times.

Kaitano said the couple will appear before the court soon after investigations to answer charges of defilement and aiding in defilement act respectively.

Both Francisco Andrew and Jovira Paul hail from Mchekeni village in the area of Traditional Authority Mlonyeni in Mchinji.