Seventeen people have been arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a mentally ill woman in Blantyre.
Among the 17, three have been arrested for assaulting the woman while 14 are in jail for taking nude photos of the woman and sharing them online.
According to National Police Spokesperson James Kadadzela, the 14 will appear in court to answer charges of conduct likely to cause breach of peace while the other three will answer charges of indecent assault.
The mentally challenged woman was sexually harassed in Limbe on Thursday after she reportedly took off her clothes.
Photos that went viral on social media showed some men sexually assaulting the mentally challenged person while others were busy taking photos of the ordeal.
Phone cameras were used to take photos of the woman – who was parading while dressed in Eve’s suit – and to share the nude photos on social media.
Meanwhile the police have condemned the act.
“Police joins all in condemning those who took part in degrading the modesty of this woman. Every person in Malawi including the mentally challenged have a right to privacy,” said Kadadzela.
The government has also condemned the act and assured protection to all women in the country.
*Additional reporting by Chilenje Chilenje
nde mpolisi wa cikaziyu mumutani, stupit woman with no morals
The same treatment should be provided to the young police officer that had her nude photos posted online by a disgruntled wife.
That wife should face a penalty and the husband should be dismissed from his position as training instructor. He should never have been involved with a student.
That police officer should have her full pay returned to the day it was suspended.