ACB to act on Pakistan for sex crime dubious discharge: Chreaa asks Malawi police IG to re-arrest Hanif

The Centre for Human Rights Education Advice and Advocacy (Chreaa) has written acting Inspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa to re-arrest a Pakistani national 57-year-old Muhammad Hanif who was dubiously discharge in a sexual assault case whose victim is a 14-year-old Malawian school girl.

Hanif is alleged to have defiled the  girl in Mudi Residential Area in Limbe on March 15 this year after he acted as a Good Samaritan by offering her a lift as she walked on her way home.

The Pakistan national was arrested on March 16 by Limbe Police after the girl reported the incident before seeking medical examination at One Stop Centre (Queen Elizabeth Hospital). The medical report confirmed the girl was sexually assaulted.

Police prosecutor sub-inspector Ishmael Abubast registered the matter before Limbe Magistrate Court as case number 204 of 2020 and changed the charge to rape but then requested presiding magistrate Martin Chipofya to withdraw the case.

Now, Chreaa suspects corruption and abuse of office by law enforcers on the way the matter was disposed without trial as police did not take the victim to court but paraded “falsely”  a 25-year-old business woman—accompanied by two ladies—identified as Mary Phiri, as the one who was raped.

The women reportedly told the real victim that they received K100 000 to share in order to discharge the case.

Chreaa is asking asked the police IG to immediately arrest the Pakistan national and reinstate charges for prosecution.

The rights organisation has also asked Anti Corruption Bureau to investigate “corruption and miscarriage of justice” by police officers handling the matter.