KALIATI APPEALS TO JUDICIARY TO SUSPEND BAILS FOR DEFILEMENT SUSPECTS

By Aamon Butao 

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, has called on the Judiciary to stop giving bail to child defilers.

Kaliati made the remarks on Tuesday when she visited several suspected defilers that are in custody. 

The minister visited Mwenyekondo Police Unit at Area 36 in Lilongwe to see a man suspected to have been defiling his neighbour’s 16 year old daughter at Soche in Blantyre.

The suspect, Willard Ntila, had allegedly been defiling the girl since 2020 and was arrested on Monday in Lilongwe when he was escorting the child back to Blantyre after inviting her to watch the game between Malawi and Ethiopia at Bingu National Stadium. 

Ntila, who currently resides in Karonga, was apprehended after Soche Police launched a manhunt for the girl.

In his remarks, the father of the Form 3 girl Harold Likatho said after hearing the news that his daughter had been sleeping with the neighbour, he reported to Soche Police Station but nothing came out as the suspect continued meeting the victim secretly.

Kaliati proceeded to Kanengo Police Unit where she visited a pastor of Tamandani Pentecostal Church, Collins Malama, who is accused of sleeping with his 15 year-old sister-in-law for over a year now.

The minor was relocated from Nkhata Bay to Lilongwe to pursue her education, but this did not materialise.

The victim told the minister that she was being constantly raped whenever her sister was at work or had gone to the market.

But, as helpless as she was, the girl was tight-lipped and only suffered in silence.

Meanwhile, the girl is being examined for possible pregnancy.

Detective Sergeant Fatsireni Chanika from Kanengo Police Station said the teenager has suffered in silence for a long time.

She said the victim was unable to open up at first as she as was afraid of going back to the village.

After her tour and hearing the distressing tales of the abused children, Kaliati said the judiciary should assist the ministry by not providing bail to defilement suspects until the cases are concluded and punishment is meted out.

According to the minister, it is worrisome that men are not respecting rights of children in the country.

On this note, Kaliati said those that are found guilty of defiling children should rot in jail as they are killing children indirectly instead of protecting them.

Kaliati warned that if the vice is not eliminated, the problem of street-connected children will persist due to early pregnancies.