Sumbuleta found guilty of sexual abuse at MBC: MHRC probe calls for prosecution
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has released the findings of their investigations on allegations lodged against former Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) director general Aubrey Sumbuleta on sexual harassment of female employers and found him in the wrong, saying he should be prosecuted for indecent assault.
The body has also recommended compensation for victims. At least eight women were allegedly sexually abused by Sumbuleta at the time he was boss at the national broadcaster.
The investigations were instigated by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) after it petitioned Ombudsman Martha Chizuma in July this year to investigate sexual harassment allegations at MBC and other parastatals, government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
MHRC took up the probe and Ombudsman Chizuma is part of the commission.
Presenting the findings of the report at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre on Monday, MHRC chairperson for gender and women’s rights committee, Stella Twea said Sumbuleta should be prosecuted under the Gender Equality Act (GEA).
Twea said 10 witnesses including former and current employees of MBC were interviewed.
Sumbuleta was also given the right to be heard and was legally represented.
“The Commission funds that the four female employees were sexually harassed by Mr Sumbuleta at different occasions and places. During all these occasions, the sexual harassment happened in his office,” said Twea reading the report.
She said Sumbuleta violated Section 6 of the GEA.
Some of the sexually abused women were married and coy to testify.
Sumbuleta used to either inappropriately touch them and the investigation report cites an incident in which he asked one of the female employees in his office to “bend over and pull up her dress” so that he could masturbate and ejaculate while seeing her nudes.
The woman refused and Sumbuleta moved her from television to the radio.
MHRC has recommended police to make their own probe and if they establish criminal liability against Sumbuleta, the Director of Public Prosecution should commence criminal proceedings in court.
Twea said during investigations hearings, Sumbuleta denied all allegations against him.
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What evidence will be used in this case? Just these narratives? Again, why has it taken this long to complain?
Evidence is the witness testimony.
All those women who were sumbuletised are not saints at all. Why did they choose to remain quite all these years? Should we be wrong to conclude that they were benefiting from being in an affair with the boss? Did they tell their husbands about the sex they were having with their boss? These women at MBC are useless prostitutes. Paja azimayi apamalawi ndichoncho. Instead of working hard with their heads they use their bottoms. Fotseki.
Viva voce will be admissible
These women were abused. Silence doesn’t mean that they enjoyed being harassed. It is exactly your kind of sentiments that kept them silent.
What I really don’t understand is why now after all these years?
These ladies were just used to destroy Sumbuleta. That aside they are saying George Kasakula will now head MBC. Chenjelani chifukwa oyipayo akubwera kumeneko. George is worse in office sex just like Gospel Kadzako
I doubt very much if this will be proved to be true even if it happened. Material evidence matter most not conjectures and emperism as Dausi says
I remember in bt at Delamere House the land lord had to call a meeting because of condoms blocking the sewage system
Aubrey
Uyambise association ya uhule…ukhale president
Amuna Ambiri will join you for sure.
Uhule is everywhere,started long time.
Ma judge nanu,consider this Sumbuleta wasn’t raping those female mbc employees,he was requesting them,those simple accepted&the opposite….it was a total agreement not rape / force as such….
Many men&women,nd mahule,without doubts,only few of us,we rely on our own spouse(s)
Or ku ma courts,ma church konse konse,uhule uliko without doubts.
UHULE,KIkikiki
Regards,
DURBAN
KwaZulu NaTaL.
+27724922299
[email protected]
Keep this mentality up and one of these days u will find yourself in jail. Educate yourself my guy
Noted with thanks….
Ndie kuti ku Mbc kulibe ma cctv camera kuti papezeke umboni okwanila
Shouldn’t it be mandatory for managers to take ethics classes?
I know of the Catholic University which offers Ethics classes in most of its programs. These managers need to take ethics classes so that they should be reconsidering their choices.
These so called ethics have long been known and practiced as part of African cultural values. People were born into these values and lived then throughout their lives. Now they are coming in a white man’s language and suddenly its something you have to learn in class. What a shame! You have to go in class to learn that sleeping around is bad, much less sleeping with your juniors or other peoples spouses using your influence and power? Give me a break!
Kulowa ufisi is ethics??