Teen girl accuses cop of sexual assualt in police custody
A 14-year-girl in Dowa, who was remanded at Chesepo police unit over a fight at school, is accusing a police officer at the unit of raping her while she was in custody.
Health officials at Dowa District Hospital confirmed the rape, saying the girl has since been treated for possible sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
The girl said at night, whilst in the cell alone, a man who covered his face with a cloth, opened the cell with a key and raped her.
She said she was alone.
Group head Mphangala from chief Kayembe expressed shock at the revelation and has since asked all the police officers to be transferred.
He said it was illegal for the police to put in custody the minor on the trivia charges before consulting the traditional leaders.
“It is the community which built the police unit building and we did not build it for the police to be raping our children whilst in custody,” said the group head.
But deputy police publicist for Dowa Innocent Kasungu said the girl was raped by another suspect who was in another cell.
“We have arrested the other suspect, a man, who raped her and he is currently at Ntchisi prison awaiting his case,” said Kasungu.
He could however not say how a suspect had key to open another cell.
The mother of the girl has however expressed concern that the police summoned her to query her on why she had contacted civil rights groups to pursue the matter.
“They asked me, why did you do that, you don’t think we cannot handle that matter? I just moved out of the room without saying anything,” she said.
This was after the matter was reported to Girls Empowerment Movement after the villagers suspected the senior police officers were shielding the police officer who raped the girl.
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The girl was raped by another suspect? Was this suspect female? If he was a man how did he find his way into a cell where this girl was? And this happened quietly at a police unit? Whatever explanation you are going to give, this is a very sad story.
A male inmate raping a female inmate in a different cell? Where those cells locked? Who keeps the keys? Inmates or the police at OB?
This is the so reason many have argued Police in Malawi needs an overhaul. The Malawi Police is full of scraps because the cream of the nation have not joined the police force opting for better jobs. As a result the Police is filled with the rejects who are usually dull and indiscipline. The only way forward is to continue prosecuting these culprits in order to get rid of the shaff out of the police. In the current scenario, one questions the rationale of keeping a minor in a Police Cell over night, one wonders if We will be able… Read more »
Kodi ama Police inu mukuyesa zida monga boma lanu la DPP likupangira ndi ndalama zathu eti? U mean suspect anatuluka mu cell mwake nkukatsegula cell mwa mtsikana ndi ma keys ainuyo a Police zoona? Basi a Police u think Malawians r fools u can give mazeramfuno anuwo nkumati tibvomereza kuti mwagwira ntchito mwamumanga wogwirirayo aaaash zachamba!
With due respect bwana Innocent Kasungu, the deputy publicist for Dowa District, how can you explain the possibility of a suspect in a Male Police Cell, getting out of his cell in the middle of the night, get hold of the keys for the Female Police Cell, open that cell, RAPE this poor girl, lock it up again and go to his cell? Is this a Police Station or what? So this Male suspect is free to roam around within the police station, get hold of the keys and so on???? He may even leave the Police Station to do… Read more »
A friend of mine who happens to be a policeman once confessed to me by saying my friend from now on know that we policemen are mabulutu,he added we make mistakes a kindergarten pupil who not make, Now a whole schooled officer telling the world a man in a cell managed to get out of his cell,searches for keys to a ladies cell covers his face opens the ladies cell rapes,locks,returns the keys,locks himself in his cell and returns the keys and the police believes Malawians are dumb. Dumb
Can a fight at school land a girl of 14 in a Police cell. Whoever arrested this girl had a wrong motive and should be investigated.
The majority of our so called police officers are SAVAGES! I repeat S.A.V.A.G.E.S. !!! I am speaking from what I personally experienced when they locked me up overnight in a stinking and overcrowded cell … 25 people in a 2m by 2m (4square meters) cooler and the abuse overnight from these savages to those of us in that shithole was just horrendous. I am talking about Area 18 Police in Lilongwe!! Despite my misdemeanour being very insignificant, I spent some time in the dark room before being released. Do I still have an axe to grind ? Yes I do!… Read more »
Typical numbskull explanations to cover up our police brutality. I hope the hospital staff are keeping samples for forensic analysis. All what the victim hsd put on that day should be kept safe and not washed to preserve evidence. It could be very important to nail down the beast masquerading as a policeman.
In the first what was offense that would warrant the beast to put an under-age girl in a a police cell overnight?
The journalist does not even say the offence of the poor little girl
I read on the same page that she was fighting with another girl at school….
How do you arrest someone who is already in a cell?