Village Chief To Spend 21 Years In For Impregnating & Eloping With 12-Year-Old Girl In Lilongwe

Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has sentenced Group Village Headman Chimalizeni (Yohane Thokozani, 26) to 21 years in prison for having sexual intercourse with and impregnating a 16-year-old girl between September and October 2025.

Lilongwe Police Publicist Inspector Hastings Chigalu said the court heard that the victim, now eight months pregnant, dropped out of school and that the convict eloped with her, claiming she was his wife and showing no remorse.

Chigalu said the magistrate ruled that, as a chief, he abused his position of trust and failed to protect a vulnerable child, imposing the maximum sentence to deter similar offences.