Malawi Police arrest chief, fIve others for arranging a child marriage

Malawi Police in Salima arrested six people from Group Village Headman Kawanga in the area of Senior Chief Kalonga on allegations that they arranged a marriage for under aged children.

The six were identified as Anus John aged 40, Chrissy Rabson 42, Frank John 53, Saidi Rabson and Daudi Chambo all from Chambo village in the same area.

, Salima Police spokesperson, Gift Chitowe said that the suspects were arrested after receiving information from well wishers and in response to the by-laws that were formulated in the district and the new marriage age in the Police arrested the six and charged them

“Child marriages are not tolerated in the country and government is heavily discouraging it. Communities and other stakeholders in Salima have formulated by-laws in almost every Traditional Authoirty that are aimed at ending child marriages, with this, communities in the district have joined hands to make sure that non is against it, ‘ he expalined.

Chitowe said that it was the aim of the police to make sure that there is zero gender based violence and one of the criteria they have put in place is by ending child marriages.

The six will soon appear in court to answers charges of arranging a marriage of under aged children

District Interfaith Aids Association (DIAC) Chairperson,Sheik Mufti Sosola commended the arrest.

“As an organization advocating for the ending of a culture which promotes child marriages we are happy with the arrest and we hope the case would give lesson to other people,” he viewed.

DIAC and Malawi interfaith Aids Association is implementing a project on gender violence and HIV in the district with major activities is dissemination of information against GBV and encouraging communities to have by-laws

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