Malawi Police concerned with rise in sexual offences
Southern Region Police Child Protection Officer, Sergeant Macdonald Kailedzi has expressed concern over the increase in sexual abuse offences in the region.
He made the remarks at Chiradzulu Boma during a Station Executive Committee (SEC) meeting aimed at sensitizing the community on how police officers could work as a bridge to the community.
Kailedzi said most sexual abuse offences such as defilement and rape were being committed due to cultural and traditional believes.
“The public is not aware on the consequences of committing such kind of offences, so let us work hand in hand so that would be offenders could be deterred through experiencing what somebody passed through after committing such kind of an offence,” Child protection officer admiited.
Officer-In- Charge (OC)for Chiradzulu Police Station, Kenneth Semani said revision of the law was a contributing factor for cases of defilement to be on the increase, noting that confuses the public.
“In the past, anybody found sleeping with a 13 year old girl was against the law. Then laws were revised to 18 years a development that the majority are not aware of,” he observed citing that there was need for civic education for the people to understand the changes in the law.
Semani pointed out that the penal code stipulates that the maximum punishment for such sexual offences was life imprisonment, noting that most offenders get away with less than 14 years prison term which is not adequate considering that the offence is serious in nature.
According to the OC, the Southern Region recorded 106 defilement cases in 2016 in the second quarter and 145 cases in 2017 the same period.
Chiradzulu district had 4 cases in 2016 and 4 again in 2017 the same period.
