At least 18 girls between the ages of 11 and 16 years old have been rescued allegedly from the hands of a prophet who was keeping them as his wives.

The girls were rescued from Donda village in Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu, police have confirmed.

Ten girls out of the 18 have the prophet’s children.

The group was living in shacks in a remote village under his ‘Voice of One calling Church’.

The Prophet whose name is Harrison Chatepa allegedly trafficked the girls from various districts, some of which are Thyolo, Mwanza, Neno, Balaka and Blantyre.

According to information sourced, Chatepa is called Dad One among his followers.

Youth Net and Counselling (Yoneco) executive director McBain Mkandawire said they found out about the prophets though a help-line they run for Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare.

Mkandawire said: “We received to say there is a prophet trafficking children. When we followed up the report we found out that the situation was real and that children were being born.”

He said the children were being brainwashed into thinking his actions were directed by God.

“We found the children using all sorts of material as beddings,” narrated Mkandawire.

He said Chatepa got wind of his impending arrest and has since disappeared

Source : Kulinji