Chief Malemia jailed for 21 years over sex with minor, abortion case: Malawi justice

Senior Chief Malemia has been sentenced to 21 years behind bars after being convicted of having sexual relations with a young girl and helping to arrange an abortion for her — in a case that has scandalised the nation.

The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court in Z

omba delivered the damning verdict today, with Magistrate Elijah Daniels handing down the sentence on the chief — whose real name is Clement Lloyd, 33 — who was arrested on the 10th of this month.

Reading out the sentence, Daniels revealed the chief had been handed 21 years for the first charge of defiling a minor, and a further nine years for helping procure the abortion — but ruled that the second sentence would run concurrently, meaning Malemia will serve a maximum of 21 years, the highest penalty the law allows.

State prosecutor Naarai Longwe confirmed the government was satisfied with the sentence — though the case will now automatically proceed to the High Court, where judges could choose to either increase or reduce the punishment.

Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Daniels didn’t hold back, launching a scathing attack on the disgraced chief for betraying the trust placed in him by his community.

“As someone who was a chief, you were supposed to use your position responsibly. But you did not, and that is why your offence is so serious,” Daniels told the court.

He added: “On your first charge, we find that you violated the law by repeatedly having sex with a child, as confirmed by the victim’s own evidence.”