The UNIMA Child Rights Clinic says it will launch investigations into what it has described as a questionable conclusion of Lu Ke’s trial who has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for charges related to child abuse and exploitation.
Lu Ke commonly known as Susu was arrested last year for exploiting Malawian children of Njerwa area in Lilongwe who in his racist video chanted “I am a black monster and my IQ is low”.
On Thursday 20th July, 2023, Susu appeared before court in Lilongwe where the Principal Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe convicted and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.
However, Susu has been immediately released because he has already spent 12 months in prison pending the conclusion of his trial.
The Court has also ordered the Chinese national to leave the country within the next seven days and to never return to Malawi and also to compensate the 13 victims who are children from Njerwa village in Lilongwe.
Speaking about the outcome of the case, UNIMA Child Rights Clinic through a press statement which has been signed by its President Mphatso Nkhata and Secretary Given Gama, have expressed dissatisfaction.
The Clinic says it is surprised that charges against Lu Ke were amended which saw the convict pleading guilty and says they would to find out if the amendments were justifiable, hence the decision to investigate the trial.
“The Child Rights Clinic notes with curiosity that the charges against Mr. Lu Ke were amended, resulting in his admission of guilt, the Court’s finding of guilt, and the sentence, including the amount of compensation ordered.
“The Clinic will work to establish the factors considered in any such scheme and check if there has been justice in the best interests of the child victims of Mr. Lu Ke’s violation of child rights and the lucrative darkly business in which he has been engaged,” reads part of the statement.
UNIMA Child Rights Clinic Manager, Alexious Kamangila, in an in interview with this publication disclosed that the Clinic will look at the entire file, analyse and determine the next cause of action by the findings thereof.
“We are a research-based Clinic, and so we will act accordingly being guided by the findings,” said Kamangila.
In an apparent plea-bargaining scheme, the State agreed with Lu Ke to pay K16 million to be shared among the 13 victimised children, and a further K3 million to be applied towards education in the community most affected by Lu Ke’s abuse, violation, and exploitation of child rights.
In June last year,
the Clinic held a peaceful march at which a seven-points petition was delivered to the office of the President and the Chinese embassy where among others the Chinese Government was asked to provide enough compensation in monetary and education forms to the victims.
The Clinic also demanded the Malawi government to discipline all officers that cleared Lu Ke to work with children, but this never happened which forced the clinic to summon various duty bearers to an accountability dialogue in Zomba on 26th August, 2022.
However, duty bearers failed to show up for the dialogue, hence the clinic vowing to press for accountability on part of Government officials whose decisions have resulted in what they described as “a questionable conclusion” of Susu case.
