back to top
HomeLifestyleMalawi court in Nsanje denies bail to Eric Aniva-the Hyena

Malawi court in Nsanje denies bail to Eric Aniva-the Hyena

Eric Aniva
In some remote southern regions of Malawi, it’s traditional for girls to be made to have sex with a paid sex worker known as a “hyena” once they reach puberty. The act is not seen by village elders as rape, but as a form of ritual “cleansing”. However, as Ed Butler reports, it has the potential to be the opposite of cleansing – a way of spreading disease.

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.

 

Lloyd M’bwana
Lloyd M’bwanahttps://www.maravipost.com
I'm a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)'s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK's ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.
RELATED ARTICLES

1 COMMENT

  1. 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.

Comments are closed.

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Recent Comments

Sylvester Movette zunda on Mali wedding attack kills 21
James Hastings Chidule on Malawi’ fistula recovery at 86%
WELLINGTON WITMAN MOSELIJAH LUNDUKA on The history of Ngoni Maseko in Malawi
Lisa Frank on Home
azw3 on Home
Define Regtech on Home
Tobias Kunkumbira on Malawi to roll out Typhoid vaccine
arena plus nba standings 2022 to 2023 ph on Home
David on Home
마산출장 on Home
Cristina Thomas on Home
Alicia Alvarado on Home
The History of online Casinos – Agora Poker – hao029 on The History of online Casinos
Five factors that will determine #NigeriaDecides2023 - NEWSCABAL on Leadership Is Difficult Because Governance Is Very Stubborn, By Owei Lakemfa
Asal Usul Texas Holdem Poker – Agora Poker – hao029 on The Origins of Texas Holdem Poker
Malawi has asked Mike Tyson to be its cannabis ambassador - Techio on Malawi lawmaker Chomanika against Mike Tyson’s appointment as Cannabis Brand Ambassador over sex offence
Finley Mbella on Brand Chakwera leaks Part 1
Maria Eduarda Bernardo on The 2021 Guide to Trading Forex Online
Atsogo Kemso, Political Foot Soldier on Why MCP and UTM Alliance Will Fail
Em. Prof. Willem Van Cotthem - Ghent University, Belgium on Malawi army, National bank cover Chilumba barrack with trees
Christopher Murdock on Why dating older woman is dangerous?
Samantha The Hammer on Why dating older woman is dangerous?
syed Ahmed on