Honour fearless police saving alleged witches

To protect the elderly, Malawi must honour police officers who save lives of witchcraft suspects.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (Afaw) urges the government of Malawi to honour Mwalwimba and two other officers for successfully intervening and preventing the murder of an alleged witch in Karonga at the northern tip of the country.

The news reaching Afaw says that following complaints that some angry villagers wanted to attack a suspected witch, these officers rushed to the scene and rescued the suspect under siege.

Incidentally, the mob threw stones at the police, injuring three officers. It has been reported that Mwalwimba, the officer in charge of Kaporo Police Unit, was among the injured.

Mwalwimba was left battling for his life at a local hospital because he sustained serious injuries while two other officers were treated and discharged as outpatients.

Afaw commends these police officers for their timely intervention and for saving the life of the witchcraft suspect.

As advocates against attacks on alleged witches, we salute their courage, professionalism and sense of duty.

Witch persecution and killing persist in Malawi partly due to the failure of the police to successfully intervene and restrain witch hunters.

The major victims are the elderly who are chastised as witches and wizards despite their immense contribution to the generation that attacks them with impunity and without remorse.

In many cases, the police are not alerted on time.

And when they are informed, the police arrive at the scene too late to save the suspects.

In some cases, the police are unable to intervene because they lack equipment such as vehicles and tear gas.

At times, the police cannot intervene due to the fear of being overpowered or attacked by the local mob as in the case of Mwalwimba and his colleagues.

To end witch persecution in Malawi, the police, not the mob, must prevail in witch-hunting cases in Malawi.

The police must be ready to deploy and intervene at a short notice.

They must be equipped to resist and contain the mob and ensure the safety of officers on duty and the witchcraft suspects.

To end witch hunting, the rule of law, not jungle justice, must apply in Malawi.

And police officers like Mwalwimba and two other officers who put their lives on the line must be honoured.