Malawi police calls for speedy trial on Neno killings, condemns act
Malawi Police Service have pledged prompt investigation, apprehension and speedy trial of all perpetrators involved in the recent killing of four elderly people in Neno district who were accused of witchcraft.
Last week the nation woke up to a shocking story of four elderly persons being killed on allegation that they killed a 17-year-old-girl through witchcraft.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the police condemned the Neno saga, labelling it as a total deprivation of one’s life and tantamount to murder.
“It is against this background that police have moved swiftly to arrest all perpetrators of this gruesome murder and expects speedy prosecution of the case,” reads the statement in part signed by National police Press and Public Relations Officer, Nicholas Gondwa.
“Killing of suspected criminals popularly known as Mob Justice is illegal and should not be tolerated in our peaceful country, Malawi”.
Gondwa said justice cannot be obtained from mob injustice and he went to condemn the barbaric acts and killings targeting the elderly persons and suspected criminals.
He then revealed that the service was shocked with a spate of people taking the law in their own hands, noting that a month cannot go without an old man or woman been killed by angry
mob on suspicions of witchcraft.
“As police we would like to emphasize that the current Laws of Malawi do not recognize witchcraft and that calling a person a witch is an offence. Furthermore, section 16 of the Constitution of Malawi provides that every person has the right to life and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life,” added Gondwa.
Gondwa further said that the only recognized institutions that administer justice are the competent courts of law, thus, after cases have gone for trial.
“If one feels that he or she has been wronged, report such to police and other relevant authorities for action rather than taking the law into our own hands. You cannot be a complainant yourself and a judge of your own case at the same time”.
The law-enforcers have since called on the citizenry to help in curbing the malpractice by reporting incidents of mob justice to community policing structures within their communities.
The suspects in the Neno saga are expected to be charged of murder under Section 209 of the Penal
Code.
Calling Judgement Basi from above dziko lakanika ili! mwana chasowa mpakapano koma zalero changu!
Kodi munthu uja mudamtola padenga ku Ndirande-Makata ali buno bwamuse mulichelo uja, Ndindani? Thindwa asamakupusiseni akudyera mmomo. Mzungu amene adalemba witchcraft law mukunenayi kwawoko ufiti ulipo. Hence: the words “witchcraft”. “wizard”. Inu a police ndinu amene mungaliuze boma zoona chifukwa ndinu amene mukukhala ndi anthu kumidzi ndipo nkhani izi mumazitsatila bwino. Fufuzani posatengera NGO kapena President. Get to the root. Umanena chatsitsa dzaye. You are the professionals. Ndipo timakudalirani.
The range of suspects age raises a lot of questions. Since you have already stated that the Malawi laws do not recognize witchcraft’s existence, do you think any complainant against witchcraft has a chance to be heard in a court of law? I think this is high time to review this law and call a spade by its name. The bible recognizes witchcraft. Why is our law so defensive. I just think that its this defensiveness that is causing the rise of this lawlessness. Can somebody over their look into this critically.
So its possible for Malawi police to nvestigate a murder fast? Excellent news MAlawi Police Service! Please do the same with Chasowa’s and Njaujus murders! EEEhe bwanji pamenepo? Mupanganso fast???
Fast ndi zaeni.
Koma zanu “still investigating”
ZA ISSA NJAUNJU ZIRI PATI?