Malawi: Police Record Fewer Cases of Rape, Defilement in 2022

15 February 2023
Nyasa Times (Leeds)
By Phillip Pasula

The Malawi Police Service says it recorded 1,836 cases of rape and defilement in 2022 compared to 2,387 in 2021.

The service says the decrease has come about with the help of the judiciary which has been giving stiffer punishments to offenders and haste by the service in investigating the cases.

Deputy National Police Publicist, Harry Namwaza, told the local media that police investigate such cases with expertise.

"We try our best to investigate such cases with expertise and haste. We should thank our courts for giving stiffer punishments to offenders. We will continue to work with community members who are helping us a lot in bringing culprits to book," said Namwaza.

Commenting on the matter, rights activist Amos Chibwana asked relevant stakeholders to work hard in protecting the girl child from rape and defilement.

"Our plea is that such cases should be handled with haste so that sentences are pronounced in time and sentences should be stiff. Media practitioners should also expose the culprits by reporting their cases as well as their sentences," remarked Chibwana.

Rape and defilement remain gross human rights violations all over the world.

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.

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