Lilongwe, February 13 2019: Police in Lilongwe district say they are impressed with the rise in the number of men reporting abuses against them by their spouses.
Speaking in an interview with the Malawi News Agency (Mana) Lilongwe Police public relations officer, Kingsley Dandaula said most men feel shy to report on such cases to the police.
“Last year from January to December, we reported fewer cases of violence against men because most of them feel shy to report such cases because in our culture people believe that if a woman beats up his husband it shows he is not man enough.
As police we have introduced a sensitization campaign to educate the nation on the importance of reporting such cases and now people are coming to report whenever men are mistreated by their loved ones,’’ said Dandaula.
Dandaula further told Mana that common cases involve mothers abandoning their children and also denying their husbands conjugal rights.
He also encouraged people in the district to report these cases to victim support unit.
“Some victims are shy to report so we are working hand in hand with different organizations to help us in sensitizing the communities on the advantages of reporting violence cases to the police,” he said.
Malawi Police in Lilongwe are keeping in custody Yamikani Mazunzo of Traditional Authority Khongoni area in the district, for allegedly murdering his 13-year old biological brother.
Lilongwe Police Public Relations Officer, Kingsley Dandaula said in an interview that 18-Year old Yamikani, was arrested on July 27 after being found with human body parts suspected to have been removed from the body of his younger brother, Saulosi Mazunzo.
The deceased is said to have left his home in Utabwalo Village during the morning of July 11 to hunt for mice near Khasu Estate in the area; and he never returned. His body was found two days later within the estate.
According to Dandaula, officers from Kasiya Police took the body, which had no head, legs and hands to Kamuzu Central Hospital mortuary for postmortem.
“The suspect led a team of investigators to the scene of the murder and another scene where the body had initially been buried for two days. We also went to a tree where the suspect kept the body parts,” said Dandaula.
He said that the body parts except for the head were found in the tree.
The Police are yet to establish the reason behind the gruesome murder.
The suspect is currently on remand at Maula Prison and will soon appear before court to answer to murder charges.
Bad news: Malawi’s: three beheaded and dumped at Bunda forest, CHRR presses police for thorough investigations on assailants
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-On Good Friday, unknown assailants beheaded three unidentified people belonging to one , and dumped their bodies at Bunda forest in the capital Lilongwe.
The bodies were found in the forests are so far unidentifiable; but they are of a man, a girl (probably five-years old ), and a pregnant woman.
The three bodies are currently being kept at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe mortuary pending identification.
This is one of the most gruesome murders the country has experienced in recent time that three people, presumably members of one family, could mate such a fate.
The development comes barely a week after a mob killed of a 70-year old woman on suspicion of killing, through magic her 16-year old grandson at Njema village in Mulanje district.
In both incidences, the police have not made any arrests of the persons involved in either of the murders. This has raised many questions among the general public on the urgency that law enforcers place on such matters.
This has also caused the human rights body, Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), to press the police to intensify its investigations into the two homicide incidences.
CHRR Advocacy Coordinator Fletcher Simwaka, expressed concern over recent reports of unsolved homicide cases and said any loss of life was a serious violation of the right to life as enshrined in Section 16 of the Constitution of Malawi, and other international human rights instruments that Malawi is part of.
Simwaka said his organization observes that almost on a weekly basis, reports are rife of murder; and that this indicates the breakdown of security in the country.
He therefore,faulted the internal security authorities for not providing the police with adequate resources and expertise, saying this leads to delays in investigating serious crimes.
“Just recently, we heard of the fracas around Kaphiri area in Lilongwe, and a number of people were murdered in cold which, indicated that something is seriously wrong, in as far as security is concerned.
“Mainly, we have seen that the morale among the police, is really down. Maybe due to inadequate resources, and maybe even the spirit of professionalism they previously had, is no longer there. We are also calling for more community policing strategies, so that communities can alert the police. This can help strengthen the relationship between the two,” Simwaka said
Lilongwe Police station spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula, described Bunda as an unfortunate incident. He also pondered as to what motivated the unknown assailants to behead the family members.
Dandaula however assured the general public of the law enforcers ability to investigate the matter until the culprits are brought to book.
