Malawi judge worried with increase in detention of vulnerable young people
The chairperson of the child case review board at Child Justice Court in Lilongwe Justice Fiona Mwale has expressed concern over the increase in number of children detained in prisons.
She made the remarks on Thursday during the opening of the Child Justice Court in Lilongwe.
Mwale said that a lot of children are sent to adult prisons like Maula and Zomba instead of Mpemba Boys Home where they are treated and punished as minors.
She said the number of these young offenders is also increasing due to an increase in a number of street kids in the country who are homeless and hopeless.
“Some of these kids are left or abandoned by their parents due to lack of financial support but some are orphans who are used by adults.
“We are therefore planning to support those less privileged families with businesses and minor jobs so that they should give enough care and support to their children in order for them to stop roaming around in the streets and be used by criminals.” Mwale said.
Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda said what the nation gives out to a child can be a recipe for a child to be aggressive and notorious.
“Children are born innocent it is what we offer them as they grow up that makes them who they are. If you give them love and care they will become great citizens of our nation.
“Therefore it is the responsibility of the nation to make sure that children are safe and protected,” he said.
The Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu and Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Welfare Jean Kalilani attended the opening ceremony.
The project is funded by UK aid through UNICEF to support the government of Malawi in rehabilitating and refurbishing the Child justice Court in Lilongwe.
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When a nation has failled to take care of the young generation they treat them as criminals. They leave out real criminals those cashgate gurus Who are protected by The state. Why protecting thieves while orphans and poor children are thrown into jails. This is not human. Malawians say they are Christians but what they do is not a way a Christian do. Its like muslim ISIS. During Kamuzu Banda children used to get mukaka. Even in the villages. These thieves have paralysed the nation that Malawi is the laughter of all nations in Africa.