Rights lawyer says police cannot investigate themselves over Msundwe rape
A prominent human rights lawyer has doubted the Malawi Police Service (MPS) will be able to investigate its own officers over serious allegations of rape at Msundwe in Lilongwe two months ago.
Police says it has deployed six top-notch investigators to conduct full criminal investigations against some of its officers alleged to have sexually assaulted women and girls at Msundwe, M’bwatalika and Mpingu in Lilongwe.
Renowned human rights lawyer Chrispine Sibande says the police officers will only be able to investigate themselves after an amendment to the police Act.
“The police are not discharging their duties properly. They cannot investigate themselves over these serious allegations. There is need to change the police Act,” said Sibande.
Sibande said this after the police issued a statement saying they have instituted criminal investigation into the allegations following a damming report by the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on the matter which found that 17 police officers allegedly raped 13 women, defiled one girl and sexually assaulted three under-18 girls during their October 8 2019 operation in the area.
The criminal investigation comes into action before the police have released a report on the commission of inquiry which the acting police Inspector General Duncan Mwapasa instituted two months ago.
Some Malawians have taken up in various social media platforms to blame the police for employing dillying tactics on the matter, saying the police are simply shielding the police rape perpetrators.
In a statement dated January 4 2020, National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera says the investigations are paying due attention to the MHRC inquiry report, reports both in the social and mainstream media and testimonies from survivors and witnesses.
Reads the statement: “The Malawi Police Service wishes to inform the nation that full criminal investigations into alleged cases of sexual abuse by police officers at Msundwe, M’bwatalika, and Mpingu commenced on December 31 2019.
“A team of six senior police investigators from across the country is at an advanced stage of the investigations. Police management is confident that these criminal investigations will be conducted in a professional manner and without bias.”
The country’s powerful donors and development partners including the UN and EU have asked the state to swiftly prosecute the perpetrators.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Police becoming a judge of their own case. Kkkkkk Malawi full of drama
The man is 100% right. In South Africa for example, they have IPID Independent Police Investigative Directorate whose job is to investigate the abuse of power by the police and complaints that come from the public. In that way you can be assured there is objectivity in the investigations. He is certainly talking sense
The Lawyer for MHRDC he is not wrong or stupid like you. And also you are very very dull and you don’t know what you can comment and here President and Ministers of parliament they can learn from all Malawian citizens through our messages . If all people they can have bad characteristics of mind like you you accusing Mr Sibande . It means our nation will never be Okay. If our government officials are the once doing this. Even you dull man if it was happened to your mother ,your wife or sister. What action or step did you… Read more »
Parliament should have established Police Professional Standards Unit without police personnel in it, to investigate allegations against police. This should be within the Police Act. Tinanena kale izi koma anthu safuna kumva.
Personally I don’t think the report will be worthy the paper it is written on. You don’t investigate yourself
Sibande the lawyer, you are stupid. You are always against govt institutions but why? The mps has said the report will be ready in two weeks and by now its less than two weeks. Lets wait and take mwapasa to task when this period elapses.
Don’t show your stupidity here.When did you ever supported people with good views here?What Sibande is the a really genuine and true point.Do you remember the Robert Chasowa murder,Isah Njaunju etc,what has police come up with?As long as the name poilice is implicated they always play these delaying tactics.
how about mr gadama and john pingu in 1988 6 march…
even 145 million police food scam, immigration uniform scam, albino killings, MEC warehouse fire, Buleya Lule death in police custody, death of Matafali,etc, what report or action has police come up with? Ndiye apa afuna kunamiza ndani?
Mbwiye cadet wachabe chabe,galu iwe eti
if you don;t know thing just keep quite, don’t waste peoples time with stupidity
What is the basis of your argument? Have you read what Sibande has said? Or you are completely immersed in blue that any sense is dented by blue and turns into nonsense? Shame on you!!
Mbwiye do you know the meaning of checks and balances. You are another idiot who has made this country poor for the past 50years