Msundwe police rape matter not for Mutharika alone to handle — State House
While the Human Rights Conservative Committee (HRCC) is pushing for President Peter Mutharika to hasten on acting on the rape incidents allegedly committed by police officers around Msundwe area in Lilongwe, State House has put it that handling of the case is not for the President alone.
HRCC chairperson, Robert Mkwezalamba, said on Friday that it was imperative that police officers who have been named in the just released report are dealt with accordingly.
Most of these include police officers who are said to have raped women and girls during the anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations.
According to Mkwezalamba, what the police officers did was uncalled for and needed to be dealt with decisively.
He said: “We are adding our voice [on the case]. It has dented the image of Malawi as a country. It is a serious matter and the President must seriously act with much needed seriousness.
“What the police officers did by raping the women is a very serious matter and as head of the forces the President should ensure maximum discipline. Otherwise our international human rights record is damaged.”
But presidential spokesperson, Mgeme Kalilani, said the issue is “not for the President alone to handle.”
Kalilani said several other quarters need to be involved in “seeing the matter through.”
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) report established that police officers raped 13 women, defiled one girl and sexually assaulted three under-18 girls during their October 8 2019 operation around the area.
The report says the police officers committed the incidents as the women fled violent scenes.
Among others, MHRC recommends that acting Inspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa should institute criminal investigations into the matter, targeting police officers deployed at Mpingu and M’bwatalika.
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Malawians, yuo are busy talking about women and girls who were raped at Nsundwe fine, what about someone who lost his life permanently?
This is why people are blaming the police. They are failing to release a report of who killed their colleague. Nobody can investigate that death apart from themselves and non action on the rape case is just eroding public sympathy on the death of their colleague.
What has investigating rape got to do with the murder of the policeman? BOTH are supposed to be investigated and people brought to book by the police.
Tadzidzimukani inu, kwacha kunjaku.
I don’t think the ones who raped our women at Msundwe were real police.From my view,most of them were DPP cadets thus why you see this silence from APM.
I just have a question guys , what if the victims were our sister or a biological mother ? What were we suppose to do or say? . This is serious pple are blaming MTAMBO for putting the weeds on Sun. Pitala ndi a police ake ali rubbish coz our fellow African like South Africa they should have put them behind bars since the insdent happened but here in Malawi we are just talking as if it is a ball that need to be played in ground .Poor leadership and even us we can’t blame someone while we know exactly… Read more »
No surprise here, Mutharika is old, senile and completely useless. He is doing what he usually does, which is to bury his head in the sand and hope that the matter goes away. He should have never been president.
Malawi is in chaotic crisis because of this tippex leadership, causing anarchy and overlooking deadly ills under their watch. How insensitive for press secretary for failing take responsibility of evil happening in police?? The role of police is to serve & protect not rape/ abuse vulnerable citizens.
The fact that HMRC was able to conduct their investigation and released a report before a well trained police force that had promised Malawians of a swift investigation in the matter….what does this tell us about the police force we have in this country? How many months or years does our incompetent and politicised police need to investigate this straight forward case like this one? APM, the commander in chief who is well known for his tantrums at political rallies, and the First Lady have never commented on this horrible issue…..what does that tell us? If this atrocity had happened… Read more »
Sure he can’t handle it…Where will the Poor get Justice on this matter? For when Matigari calls for them to go and March on the streets to Demand Justice the Parrots will be All over screaming that he is Inciting Violence…. Where will the Poor get Justice on this matter ?
Muli ndi UCHITSILU womangoti madona takwiitsa.Tasovaninso kuti akanyongedwe yense anagenda wapolisi mpaka kumupha,ndipo akhalenso poyela maina awo komanso muzinenanena
Koma umbuli ulikodi ku Malawi kuno eti? Pamene sukunvetsa nkhani ndi pati galu iwe?
Zachibwana. Mr. Mutharika must demonstrate that he is a LEADER. I think this guy is a ‘LAME DUCK’. ‘Wopepera’. We CANNOT live with a president like this one.