Women in Dedza have expressed concern over the delay to conclude gender based violence cases in the district.
Dedza Women Forum, a community based organisation working under Actionaid, has said most cases which are reported to the forum and taken to police are delayed a development which the women have described as worrisome.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi24 in which she voiced out some of the challenges they are facing during the course of their duty, program coordinator of the forum Mezia Chigango Chigango cited a case where some girls were arrested and assaulted at the police station without any crime and the case ended without trial.
“When the case was reported to us we went to the station where we were told that the girls were arrested along with others who were suspected of inciting violence. So when we asked them why they were beaten up, they denied the allegation and told us to come another time.
When we went there they never told us the truth until now.” Said Chigonga.
The coordinator said the problem is affecting their daily service as people lose trust in them since the cases are withdrawn before justice prevails.
She then urged the police to ensure that cases reported to them are quickly handled and presented to the court for justice to prevail.
Commenting on the concerns, Dedza Police Public relations officer Sub inspector Edward Kabango attributed the claim to lack of follow ups on GBV cases which are reported to the police station.
Kabango said when the cases are taken to court complainants do not show up to testify a situation which leads to the termination of some of the cases.
“Those people do not come to make follow ups whenever they have sent such issues. The other thing is that some cases are withdrawn at the court and others are acquitted because the complainants do not come to testify in court,” said Kabango.
Dedza women forum is a community based organisation working with support from Actionaid Malawi in protecting and promoting human rights of people mostly women and children in the district.
