Malawi Police bemoans increase in sexual assualt cases

Police in Malawi’s eastern district of Balaka are disturbed on why defilement cases are still on the increase in the district despite stiffer sentences the courts are imposing on offenders.

Child Protection Officer for Balaka Police Station Sergeant Elias Sungani says said in the past 6 months the district has registered 11 defilement cases as compared to 5 cases during the same period last year 2013 – representing 54% increase.

“This year alone, 10 people have been convicted on defilement charges by the Balaka First Magistrate court and some are saving their sentences at Ntcheu prison,” he says.

He is therefore calling upon the general public to join hands in the fight against defilement cases in the district and also asked parents to keep a close eye on a girl child.

However child rights activist have long been attributing the increase to the lenient penalties which the courts give to the offender.

Most of them have been advocating for castration of male organs as a punishment that would help deter elder men from defiling children.

There is a strong belief that most people who rape children do it for ritual purposes.

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