Lutepo’s sex on sentence: Cashgate prisoner allowed conjugal visit

Chief Cashgate convict Oswald Lutepo was permitted to have sex sessions with his wife on May 31, 2016 at Chichiri Prison, Nyasa Times has learnt.

The cashgate convict, who was transferred from Zomba Mikuyu prison to Chichiri prison in Blantyre and moved to the penal complex on medical grounds, was allowed on Tuesday to have sex on sentence.

Lutepo, 38, is currently serving 11 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for conspiracy to defraud government and money laundering K4.2 billion, in September, 2015.

The sentence was handed down to him by the Zomba High Court but Lutepo is appealing against Judge Redson Kapindu’s sentence, arguing he was betrayed by the State and that Judge Kapindu disregarded his positive testimony in the trial and concentrated on the negative aspects of his case.

Prison spokesperson Smart Maliro said the authorities do not allow conjugal rights and that Lutepo is not a special one to be allowed sex in jail.

Maliro however said the matter will be thoroughly investigated and prison warders will be quizzed.

Nyasa Times understands that one prisoner ward who facilitated the sex session of Lutepo has been transferred.

Lutepo is said to had sex with the wife where prisoners conduct prayers as inmates were all locked out.

Human rights activist have been advocating to allow conjugal visits for prisoners in Malawi to enable inmates to spend time with their loved ones in a separate room in prison.

Sex is unlawful in prisons because cells are deemed to be public places.