Police in Machinga district on Thursday arrested a 40 year-old man for raping his two stepdaughters over a period of five years.
Police in the district have identified the suspect as Fadwerk Kamadzi of Gawani village in the area of traditional authority Njema in Mulanje district.
According to Machinga police spokesperson Davie Sulumba, in 2007 Fadwerk married a woman who already had two children currently aged 17 and 15.
In 2012, the suspect enticed his wife that he should be sexually abusing the older girl who was then aged 12 for rituals so as to get rich.
“The woman agreed and she also persuaded her daughter. The suspect sexually abused the young girl from 2012 up to 2016. He also started abusing the 15 year-old victim in 2016 when the mother and first victim were at home village,” Sulumba said.
However, the woman got upset and felt being cheated after realising that her husband was also raping her second daughter.
“The mother then reported the matter to church officials who advised them to be patient,” Sulumba explained.
However, after noticing that the church was reluctant to act the 17-year-old victim reported the matter to Liwonde police. The law enforcers followed the issue and arrested the 40-year-old.
An examination from Machinga district hospital revealed that the victims were raped.
Fadwerk Kamadzi admitted that he was raping the children and will soon appear in court to answer his defilement charges which is in conflict with section 138 of the penal code.
Police have however advised guardians to take proper care of their children especially girls.
