Malawi self-styled prophet convicted for rape: 10 years jail sentence
A self-proclaimed prophet, Anthony Lazalo, has been jailed for 10 years for raping a 20-year-old woman during a “cleansing ceremony”, Chikhwawa Police spokesperson, Sunday Ngulube confirmed.
Sergeant Owen Kamanga of Malawi Police, prosecuting the case, told Chikhwawa Magistrate’s Court that the self-styled prophet sexually assaulted a Form Four student at Phwadzi Community Day Secondary School (name shielded).
Chapananga Health Centre confirmed the girl was raped
The incident occurred on April 4 2013 when he went to the victim’s grandparent’s home in Senior Chief Chapananga’s area in the district.
“When Lazalo told the [girl’s grandfather] that he was a prophet, the victim thought it was her chance to get cured of her health problems. Then the ‘man of God’ asked her to go into a secluded place for a prayer. While praying in a room, the defendant asked the complainant to allow him to insert his finger into her private parts. She could not refuse as he told her that God had said it as a condition for her healing,” Kamanga told the court, according to Ngulube.
“It was while inserting the finger that he took advantage of the situation to rape her. The victim screamed for help and people came to her rescue after she had already been raped,” said Kamanga.
Lazalo comes from Chiphwembe Village in Senior Chief Malemia in Nsanje.
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