NSANJE-(MaraviPost): A Malawi Court in the southern district of Nsanje on Friday, refused to grant bail application to Eric Aniva-the Hyena pending police thorough investigation on the matter.
The Nsanje based Aniva was arrested on July 25, 2016 following President Peter Mutharika’s directive.
Aniva, 45 was detained after confessing to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television interviewer on July 21 that he defiled more than 100 adolescent girls as part of initiation rites into womanhood and sleeping with widows in a sexual cleansing ritual when he confessed to being HIV positive.
During the interview with the BBC Aniva disclosed that locals used to pay him money in the range of £3 to £5 to perform the sex rituals.
Aniva added that as a hyena, the main duty was overseeing a coming-of-age ritual, where girls take part in sex over a three-day period after their first menstruation.
But on Friday, Nsanje First Grade Magistrate Anderson Masanjala denied the hyena man bail saying it is wise for Aniva to remain on remand to allow the police to finish their investigations.
This is the second time the court has denied Eric bail after it made similar decision on July 27 when he appeared before court.
Aniva was formally charged with the case of a prohibited harmful act which is contrary to Section 5 of the Gender Act.
He appeared before a jam-packed courtroom without a lawyer as he could not afford one.
This means that Aniva will remain in police custody till August 15 when the trial will resume in court while expected the police to bring sufficient evidence against him.
Meanwhile, Malawi Law Society (MLS) through its lawyer Mandala Mambulasa has offered to represent Aniva in court.
Lawyer Mambulasa was seen in chambers before the Magistrate Masanjala to alert the court that the Constitutional body wants to represent Aniva.
Consequently, Magistrate Masanja accepted the MLS interest saying Anivas bail denial was to make sure that MLS reaches him in police custody.
Mambulasa told reporters outside the court in Nsanje that MLS will represent Aniva on pro- bono service (free) saying the latter has a freedom of representation as a citizen of this country.
Aniva who hails from Chiphwembe Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Malemia in Nsanje district will face life sentence if found guilty of underage sex.
Traditions and modern day collide. Unfortunately we can’t arrest the whole village. If handled correctly this would be educational not a way to say we are better than they are altitude.
The president missed an opportunity to educate. Jailing this poor soul will not resolve anything these are practices that will continue until minds are informed.