Police have charged a fellow officer for raping a girl while she was in police custody at Chisepo Police Unit in Dowa.
National Police Spokesperson James Kadadzera said the law enforcers have arrested and charged the officer following recommendation by a multi-sectoral inquiry team tasked to investigate the rape incident.
In October, a 14 year old girl was raped whilst in police custody at Chisepo Police Unit after she was arrested for a fight at her school. The girl said a police officer was the one who raped her.
However, police claimed that a suspect who was in another cell on the night broke into the girl’s cell and raped her.
After Police’s handling of the matter was condemned, the law enforcers set up a team comprising police officers and officials from comprise members of the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and the Malawi Law Society (MLS) to invedtigate the matter.
According to a statement released by Kadadzera today, the committee has recommended that the suspected police officer should be prosecuted.
“All police officers who were involved in one way or the other in the detention be dealt with in accordance with the Disciplinary Code of Conduct for Police Officers,” says the statement.
The inquiry team has also advised police and medical personnel to preserve samples that can be used in DNA analysis when dealing with sexual offences.
Meanwhile, the Police have assured Malawians that the are committed to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion.
“The service will lso ensure that human rights of all citizens are respected, promoted and protected,” says the statement.
” … the committee has recommended that the suspected police officer should be prosecuted.”
OK, but is it a FACT that he has been charged, and that the charge is for the offence of rape? The article is not quoting any official source that he has indeed been charged. Is he even in custody?