Women activists throng Lilongwe court in battle cry against suspected step-father rapist
Women activists this morning thronged Lilongwe magistrates court premises where they booed and chanted anti-rapists songs against a stepfather who is alleged to have defiled his nine-year-old stepdaughter.
Hundreds of the women activists, led by firebrand Jessie Kabwila, booed Stuart Kalungama as he appeared before the court.
Kapangama has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presence of many women activists at the court prompted police to up security around the court premises.
Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has since denied bail Kalungama, who is alleged to have defiled his stepdaughter at CCDC in Chilinde Township.
Kabwila addressed the women activists, saying Kalungama deserves castration.
“What he did is more than evil. He has completely destroyed the future of the child. A child cannot give consent for sex. Even me, I can only sleep with someone I love,” she said.
Writing on his Facebook wall, prominent lawyer Ralph Kasambara says rape and defilement are amongst the most heinous crimes found in our penal law books.
He says this is reflected by the maximum penalty one can get when convicted of such offences.
Kasambara says it is, therefore, not surprising to see the large numbers of concerned citizens calling for justice for the innocent 9-year-old child victim that was allegedly raped by her step farther.
“A sad case of a castle turning into a dungeon. The people that are supposed to be shepherds turning into wolves. This is one of saddest cases coming before our courts,” he says.
However, Kasambara says every person is presumed to be innocent till proven guilty, saying every person is entitled to a fair trial before an impartial and independent judge or Magistrate.
He says It goes without saying that justice must not only be done but seen to be done, adding in simple terms, the dispensers of justice must not pander to the public whims or social media activism.
“Now reverting to the current case in Lilongwe, I am not sure whether the accused person has not already been convicted in the court of public opinion?
“I am not sure whether he will receive a fair trial given the negative publicity right in the court premise and in the social media; and the public baying for his blood.
“Will it not be fair to have this case tried outside Lilongwe City?” He asks.
He suggests restricting protesters/lobbyists to stage their protests about 500 metres away from the court precincts.
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People should be doing this when proven guilty, not before a trial. If this man is innocent his life will be damaged irreparably and he may even get death threats. Let us allow the law to do its job and not persecute people beforehand.
KABWIRA AND YOUR FELLOWz
Let me remind you…..HOW ABOUT NSUNDWE WOMEN AND THE BOY WHOWAS RAPED IN DOWA…..why didn’t you protest like this?
This is extremely sad. Men where do you want daughters to lean on?We,men are supposed to be protectors, guardians and fathers. Witnessing your daughter marrying a suitor of her choice is the happiest moment of a man’s LIFE.
Very cruel and should never be entertained in Malawi. Let’s protect our children
Rape, especially when it involves a minor, in my view deserves the harshest sentence as a lesson to other would be offenders.
However I have a thing about these so-called activists most of whom just decided to take time off from their boredom to chat with their colleagues. I can’t remember seeing such women, dressed in black, when the women of Msundwe Mbwatalika and Mpingu were brutally raped by no other than law enforcement officers, our hope for protection.
Nyere za mtundu wanji iwe Staurt Kalungama? Why could you not just get a prostitute if your wife did not satisfy you. You are a disgrace. Watichititsa manyazi.
Correct the queens language here ” I am not sayiong what Stuart did is deplorable” Are you condoning what he did. Check the meaning of some of these words before you put them to print.
This demon deserves the full wrath of the law.
The girl child deserves protection regardless of the absence of a biological father in her life. Step daughters are not your sex toys, bastard! I can understand the women activists who are crying out for his castration. It happens in other countries. This is extreme evil and extreme evil evokes extreme reactions. If I had my way, I’d castrate him using the bluntest knife around. Too many fools who pass for husbands in this society!
Kodi iwe Raphael case yako ili liti??Munthu sungamayende ndi bail mpaka 5 years while your accomplice are rotting in jail..Pika ndi McDonald unawatuma ndiwe kuti akaphe mphwiyo…Kodi Ku court ko za Raphael zili pati??
That doesn’t stop him from commenting on issues. Being on bail for that long is a result of incompetence somewhere.
Mukatha pamenepo you must also go and march against bushiri. He has not one but 3 warrants of arrest for rape. There are more that were withdrawn…koma we know you can’t do that mumapezelela mdala osauka ngati uyu. No to selective justice, all alleged rapists must be treated the same, and that includes bushiri.
kodi uja wa ku MASM adadya mwana was sister wake uja, milandu ikuchedwa bwanji?