Mzuzu Courts commended for punishing sexual molesters
Malawi Police in Mzuzu are happy that sexual offenders are getting long sentences in the courts of law in the city..
The police specifically commended Mzuzu Magistrates Court for severely punishing men who defile and sexually assault young girls.
The law enforcers hope this development will reduce such cases in the city by 25 per cent.
Recently, the court handed down two convictions of14 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) to two men who molested and sexually assaulted young girls in separate incidents.
Mzuzu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Sergeant Patrick Saulosi commended the magistrates on Tuesday
The maximum sentence for defilement is life imprisonment but in some cases Malawi courts have slapped convicts with less than ten years IHL raising concerns among child rights activists and other stakeholders.
On Thursday, the court sentenced Canaan Kaunda, 25, to 14 years IHL for defiling a five-year-old girl at Lupaso on Christmas Day (2014).
Barely five days later (on Monday), the court also slapped Richard Chisale, 33, with 14 years IHL for defiling another five-year-old girl and three years IHL for indecent assault of a seven-year- old girl at Luwinga Area 1 B on January 9, 2015. Both sentences will run concurrently.
Kaunda hails from Matita Village in the area of Senior Chief Mtwalo in Mzimba District while Chisale is from Muliya Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mkando in Mulanje District.
Both men pleaded guilty and were subsequently convicted. They asked the court for lenient sentences saying they were bread winners for their extended families.
However, State Prosecutor Lone Tembo asked for stiff punishment to deter other men from committing similar offences.
First Grade Magistrate Anthony Banda, who presided over both cases, said such men do not deserve to live in society because they cause trauma in young girls which lingers on in their minds for so long. He, therefore, slapped them with a total of 14 years IHL, each.
Reacting to the sentences, the deputy police publicist said such long sentences have helped reduce defilement cases by 25 per cent, so far.
“In 2013, we registered 53 cases of defilement while in 2014 we recorded a total of 40 cases. This represents a decrease of about 25 per cent.
“We attribute the reduction mainly to two factors; firstly, the interface meetings the Community Policing Branch has been conducting in the communities with various opinion leaders on child protection.
“Secondly, we believe that the meaningful sentences our courts have been imposing on offenders have also played a role. And we commend the courts for that,” Sergeant Saulosi said.
He, therefore, called on community members to watch one another for any forms of child abuse and report them to police.
“Perpetrators are mostly step fathers, uncles, neighbours and, at times, male household servants,” Sergeant Saulosi said.
