Malawian pastor diagnosed as mentally ill, arrested for murdering own daughter

BALAKA, (MaraviPost): The Malawi Police in the eastern district of Balaka are keeping in custody a 25-year old pastor for allegedly killing his own daughter aged one-and-half month old.

Balaka Police Station Public Relations Officer, Gerald Sumaili has confirmed to The Maravi Post the arrest of Petrol Sageme who committed the offense recently at Mitchaya village in the district.

According police publicist Sumaili, the suspect went into a room where the deceased was sleeping and cut her throat using a knife.

Sumaili further said after Sageme committed the crime, he called the wife who was outside house doing chores to come in and ordered her to look and take care of the dead child.

“The mother was shocked eventually rushed to police for the help on the matter. The police later arrested the suspect. Segeme, a pastor of Apostolic Church is believed to have diagnosed with mental illness and was treated of the same last year,” said police publicist Sumaili.

Segeme, who hails from Chitala Village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Nkaya in Balaka district, remains in police custody while waiting to appear before the court to answer charges of murder.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.