NGO’s demand ‘speedy’ probe on 7-year-old girl defiled, murdered
By Judith Moyo, Nyasa Times
A network of Malawian non-governmental organisations called NGO Coalition on Child Rights has called for speedy investigations to bring to book suspects who are behind the brutal murder of two young girls in Mzimba.
According to Police, a seven-year-old girl was last Friday defiled and murdered by unknown people at Beneka Village, T/A Mabulabo in Mzimba while a day-old baby was allegedly killed by her mother with a hoe.
Northern Region Police spokesperson Norah Chimwala said the girl met her fate when she went to a nearby bush to fetch firewood together with her six friends and on her way back met an unknown assailant who defiled and killed her.
In a media statement made available to Nyasa Times, Chairperson of the organization Desmond Mhango, said authorities should deal with the investigation with speed so that the culprits should face justice and deter others from committing the same crime.
The statement also condemns the brutal manner in which the two girls were killed and calls for “earnest, just, timely and quick corrective measure that would serve as a deterrent to child offenders.”
Police has since arrested 21-year-old Nellie Mvula for allegedly concealing birth of her baby and killing it with a hoe.
“After delivery, she killed the baby with a hoe and buried it behind the house. Later, the villagers, including her husband, discovered that the suspect had delivered, but the baby was nowhere to be seen,” claimed Mzimba spokesperson Gift Nyirongo
NGO Coalition on Child Rights also appeals to government to commit more resources towards investigation of the murder of the girls and all other forms of inhumane treatments made towards children in the country.
The coalition comprising eight NGO’s involved towards the promotion, protection and upholding of the rights of children including the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), Malawi Economic Justice Network MEJN, NGO-Gender Coordination Network, Malawi Health Equity Network and Civil Society Coalition for Quality Basic Education.
