AfricaBrief: SEX WORKERS JAILED FOR PARADING NAKED MAN IN NTCHEU Ntcheu first grade magistrate court on Monday, convicted and sentenced two sex workers to 4 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour each, for stripping naked and parading a male client around Mphate trading centre for failling to settle a bill on Wednesday. The jam packed court, through state prosecutor inspector Evans Kantukule, heard that on Wednesday February 7, 2018, the 26 year old man name withheld, went for beer drinking at Friends Corner along the M1 road at Ntcheu Boma. While at the drinking joint, he fell in love with one of the sex workers and they agreed to spend a night together. Everything went on well till early in the morning when, payment of the services rendered to him became a problem, he failed to settle the bill. A quarrel erupted between the two. While in the thick of quarrels, another sex worker joined claiming that she was also yet to get her payment from the same man for the services she provided sometimes back. The two sex workers joined forces, and resorted to stripping off the man all his clothes as punishment. They told him that unless they are paid in full, he will not get back his clothes. Making matters worse, the man was paraded around the trading centre while completely naked. More sex workers came out in support of their friends chanting *"Kabwerebwere uyu"*. This was all happening at around 08:00 in the morning on February 8. Well wishers came to his rescue and took the matter to Ntcheu police. The culprits were arrested same day. They were charged with *Indecent Assault* which contravenes section 137 of the Penal Code. They pleaded guilty to the charge and prayed for leniency. But the state asked the court to give the two stiffer punishment, saying that the victim's right to privacy was violated. They could have chosen other better means of recovering the payments other than the one used. In his rulling Ntcheu First Grade Magistrate Crispin Sachuluka, conquered with the state. *If it were a woman in the victim's shoes, the whole Human Rights fraternity and Gender Activists would have descended on the man, but just because it's viceversa, it is being taken as normal which is not fair*" he said. He then slapped the two to 48 months Imprisonment with Hard Labour as a deterrent to the other would be offenders. Patricia Chapotera 21 and Ruth Wizman 20, hails from Nsiyaludzu village, Traditional Authority Makwangwala, Ntcheu.