MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi court on Wednesday moved the victims to the crime scene at Lusangazi Lodge in Mzuzu to testify against the main opposition councilor for Chabanja ward Charles Mlongera in the city.
The move was part of the court’s proceedings in the matter where it is alleged that Councillor Mlogera accommodated three teenage girls and thereafter took turns to defile them on the night of October 8 this year.
Mzuzu Police Station deputy spokesperson Cecilia Mfune told The Maravi Post that the three victims narrated to the court at the scene how the suspect, who was present, drove his vehicle to the lodge in company of the girls and the actual place where he packed his car.
The Police Publicist Mfune said the trio also showed the court the room and the bed where the offence is alleged to have been committed.
Mfune however disclosed that Chief Resident Magistrate Major Mbewe adjourned the case to January 20, 2017 for ruling on whether Mlogera has a case to answer.
“Indeed, the Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Mzuzu today, December 28, 2016 moved to Lusangazi Lodge where it is alleged that Councillor Mlogera accommodated three teenage girls and thereafter took turns to defile them on the night of October 8 this year”, confirmed Mfune.
Currently, the suspect, Mlogera is out on court bail which was granted by Mzuzu High Court Judge Dingiswayo Madise three weeks ago.
Mlogera is allegedly to have made the three girls drunk beer at a drinking joint before booking a room at a lodge where he managed to defile each one of the girls; two aged 16 and one aged 15.
Councilor Charles Mlogera who hails from Kanjati village, Traditional Authority (TA Kwataine in Ntcheu district, is likely to answer three counts of defilement contrary to section 138 of the Penal Code.
The lodge mentioned in this article is right beside the police road-block at Lusangazi, about 7 km outside Mzuzu. . If the Malawi media got off its collective arse and went there it could ask around and add some flesh to this bare-bones article. Questions to be asked would be:
–> The car with the three girls in it must have been allowed through the road block by the police. Why did the police not question the councillor to ask him what he was doing with them, especially when they saw him head into the lodge? (In 2014 a school girl from Marymount was rescued by the police from a similar experience when they stopped an old man from taking her from the road block into the lodge.)
–> Why did the staff at the lodge allow the councillor to take the three girls into a private room? RUMOUR has it that the lodge owner has been investigated for this, taken to court, and fined.
The media should also identify the drinking joint where the girls were plied with alcohol. It should ask the authorities to prosecute whoever was responsible for illegally serving booze to the under age customers.