Two Malawian gays blast police officers for ill-treating them

Advertisement
Gift Trapence

Two gay men have explained to lawyers about the ill-treatment they get from police and the public because of their sexual orientation.

The duo expressed their predicaments during a meeting which Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation in collaboration with Centre for Development for People (CEDEP) organised with the aim of sensitizing gays, bisexuals, and trans-genders on how to deal with abuse.

“I was invited by my friend to spend a night in Naperi Blantyre where I was assaulted by some people after they heard that I was around in the compound.”

“To my surprise, the police came and picked us and they were not helpful to us. We spent a night at Blantyre police; instead of giving us protection, the police was also ill-treating us. Anyone has a right to be protected and we the gay people deserve the protection.”

Gift Trapence
Trapence: Intends to have sensitization campaigns.

“I did not stay idle with the issue I took the issue to various lawyers but among all I approached, only one accepted but he was charging me 12 milion Kwacha because there is a perception that we have a lot of money yet it is not true,” he said.

His colleague said that one day he was drinking at Kamba in Blantyre and one man told the bartender that he is gay hence he is not supposed to be given beer.

But commenting on the issue, Malawi Law Society vice president, Powell Nkhutabasa, expressed disappointment that some lawyers refused to represent gay men.

“It is unfortunate that some lawyers behave that way because regardless of his status every person either gay or not, has a right to be represented and that is our duty,” Nkhutabasa said.

Timothy Mtambo, Executive Director for Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation, said that he consulted the lawyers because lawyers are important stakeholders in matters of access to justice.