Malawi courts jail 2 men separately for sodomy

Two men have been jailed separately by Malawi courts for sodomising young children.

In Dowa, the Mponela First Grade Magistrate Court has sentence 49-year-old man Lackson Billiat to three years imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for sodomizing a 14-year-old boy who also happens to be epileptic.

Sergeant Macpatson Msadala, Mponela Police deputy spokesperson, said the court through state prosecutor Gladys Jentala heard that the victim was playing with his brother in the presence of his mother when he tightly held his young brothers arm in a way that he was hurting him.

When the mother jumped in to stop him, the victim said that he wanted to teach his brother how to have sexual intercourse through the anus just as he did with the suspect.

“The response prompted the mother to question the victim more about it. The victim explained to his mother that Billiat did this to him in a maize field and that it had happened three times,” he said.

The victim was later taken to Mponela Police station from where he was referred to Mponela Rural Hospital for testing and the findings proved that the 14 year old was indeed defiled.

Billiat pleaded not guilty to the charge of sodomy, a charge contrary to section 153 (A) of the penal code.

First Grade Magistrate Yohane Nkhata sentenced the convict to 36 months IHL.

Elsewhere, Salima Magistrate Court has sentenced 41-year-old man to seven years imprisonment for sodomising two children aged nine and 12.

State prosecutor Edwin Wala told the court that on April 6 this year the man enticed the children to follow him to a secret place where he sodomised them.

In court he denied the charge, but the State paraded eight witnesses to prove their case.

Wala asked the court to impose a stiffer punishment, saying the children suffered psychological trauma.