Malawi’s former justice minister Ralph Kasambara justifies rape

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Ralph Kasambara

…let Gwaladi go

Former justice minister Ralph Kasambara who has lately been involved in never ending fights with the judiciary has argued in defence of rape.

Joe Gwaladi
Kasambara wants Gwaladi (in sun glasses) to be released

Weighing in on the arrest of street musician Joe Gwaladi who was nabbed by the police yesterday for having sex forcibly with a 14 year old girl Kasambara sided with Gwaladi urging the police to let him free as he has not committed any offence under the Malawi laws.

“Last time I checked on the law of defilement the cut off period was 13 years. In other words you cannot legally defile a 14 year old gal (sic). Now what is this I hear about some celebrity being arrested for deflowering a 14 year? If she was not consenting then its rape and surely not defilement. Otherwise there is NO crime here. Let my celeb gooooo!” wrote Kasambara in a Facebook update.

His update however attracted a backlash of comments with people wondering if Kasambara would utter the sentiments if the victim was his daughter.

To his defence, the former attorney general who is celebrated as one of the brightest lawyers in Malawi said that it was not him who was speaking but the law and therefore by implication meaning that even if it were his daughter he would speak in a similar manner.

Joe Gwaladi who has been singing songs admonishing prostitution was arrested yesterday afternoon in Phalombe and charged with defilement for having his way with a 14 year old person.

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