Chikwawa, March 27, MaraviPost: A Primary school teacher identified as Brian Mtauchira is on the run in Chikwawa District for allegedly defiling a 16 year old standard six girl at Phwadzi Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Chapananga.
Both police and education authorities separately confirmed the incident to Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Monday saying the teacher is suspected to have run away from his duty station on 15 March, 2018 after he got wind of the news that his conduct was reported to police.
“Mtauchira ran away soon after hearing that the case had been reported to Police,” Police Constable John Bello at Chapananga Police Unit told MANA.
Bello said when the Police went to the teacher’s house; they did not find him and added that officials from District Education Manager’s Office have not yet provided information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts.
In a separate interview, Kalambo Zone Primary Education Advisor (PEA), Elias Khuku said it was true the teacher was nowhere to be seen on allegation that he defiled a school girl.
The PEA said his office was making efforts to get in touch with the teacher.
“The question could be; why has he run away? We will try our best to locate him so that we map the way forward,” said Khuku.
The matter was made known when the defiled girl came back home around 3:00 am and when asked by her parents where she had gone, she said she was at Mtauchira’s house where she was defiled in the process.
Meanwhile, Chikwawa Red Cross Project Officer, Cecilia Banda has condemned the incident saying teachers should be the first people to protect the rights of a girl child.
“Children spend a lot of time at school. So, how safe will children be if teachers start abusing girl children?” wondered Banda.
She added that as they are implementing the social inclusion project in the area of Chief Chapananga, they will ensure that people are empowered to report to relevant authorities any forms of abuses.