Police in Phalombe are keeping in custody a 32-year-old man, Julius Nunkhazingwe, for allegedly sodomising seven young boys at an initiation ceremony.

According to Phalombe Police Station Public Relations Officer Augustus Nkhwazi, Nunkhazingwe was one of the initiators at the boys' initiation camp at Ligola Village in the district and took advantage of the ceremony to force himself onto the seven boys one after another.

"Nunkhazingwe told the boys not to disclose this to anyone and threatened them that doing so could result into death since anything done at the initiation is never disclosed to people outside," Nkhwazi said.

Nkhwazi said the case was put to limelight when the victims failed to keep the incident to themselves due to pains they sustained but reported their experiences to their counsellors who alerted police at Chitekesa Unit.

"The matter was reported to Chitekesa Police Unit and the suspect was arrested forthwith and the victims were referred to Chitekesa Health Centre where it was confirmed that the seven victims were indeed sodomised," Nkhwazi said.

The boys went into the initiation camp on August 1 this year and each met his fate by August 10. The victims whose age ranges from 10 to 14 years hail from Traditional Authority Jenela in Phalombe.

Nunkhazingwe who hails from Bona village, Traditional Authority Jenala in Phalombe is expected to appear before the Phalombe First Grade Magistrate Court to answer charges on sodomy contrary to section 153 of the Penal Code.