Malawi top prosecutor warns against discharging of gender-based violence cases
Director of Public Prosecutions, Mary Kachale, has warned prosecuting agencies against discharging gender-based violence cases, saying even complainants have no powers to withdraw such cases.
Speaking in Lilongwe, Kachale said gender-based violence cases are criminal therefore they are between the state and the suspects.
“Even the victims, who are the complainants, should not come to you and say that they are withdrawing the case against their husbands because the case is not between them and the suspects, who are the husbands. The case is between the State and the suspects, the complainants are just witnesses,” said Kachale.
She was speaking to prosecution officers from prosecution agencies, including the police from the central region.
Kachale said the prosecution officers should always aim to protect the welfare of gender-based victims even by providing them with necessary health care services.
“We want the society to be healthy, we want the society to be well,” said Kachale.
Gender-based violence cases have drastically reduced in the country following the criminalization of the violence some years ago.
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the whole so called top prosecutor of a shithole country giving the whole world a picture that it is only women who are victims in gender based violence. zili ku nyasalande!!!!!!!!!!!
The mentality expressed by DPP is a shame. As a top persecutor she was supposed to be above, not insinuating that women are always victims. This is the reason most men shun victim support unit, as they are looked at as aggressors and not victims as well. Gender does not mean women. If this is the mentality, it will not be surprising that few men support the initiative as is perceivesd to biases.
DPP Mary do do you mean gender is equal to female? Are you telling the nation that suspects in these cases are only men? I sympathise with men and my country if this is your thought process Mary.