Malawi Police arrest CEDEP officer for gay sex

Malawi Police has arrested Centre for Development of People (Cedep) officer Ishmael Makhuludzo, 29 on allegations of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy (name withheld) at Luwinga Township in Mzuzu city.

Mzuzu Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Martin Bwanali said Makhuludzo allegedly  had sexually abused the boy after a night drink out.

“A medical report from Mzuzu Central Hospital indicated that sodomy took place and that the boy sustained some bruises on the anus,” Sergeant Bwanali said.

He said suspect is expected to appear in court soon to answer a charge of sodomy contrary to section 153 of the Penal Code.

Cedep boss Gift Trapence confimed the arrest, saying Makhuludzo is an Assistant Project Officer at the rights group.

Trapence said he could not comment on the matter as “the case is still in court and we do not have sufficient information.”

However, CEDEP boss said organisation’s position on minority rights remains clear.

“ We support the decriminalization of laws, which criminalize consensual sexual acts. Any non-consensual act regardless gender or age involved is unacceptable and should be dealt with by the criminal justice system,” Trapence told Nyasa Times in an email interview.

Makhuludzo hails from Mpamba Village in the area of Taditional Authority Ngabu in Chikwawa District.