The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has opened an independent inquiry into allegations that police officers raped women and teenage girls at Msundwe in Lilongwe.
MHRC Executive Secretary David Nungu said this in a letter to the Inspector General of Malawi Police on Friday.
On Wednesday, the NGO Gender Coordination Network said some Women and girls at Msundwe, M’bwatalika and Mpingu were raped by police officers who went to the areas to arrest murder suspects earlier this month. The police said it will investigate the matter.
In his letter, Nungu said that the commission was encouraged by the police’s willingness to take action on the matter despite the suspects being police officers.
He added that MHRC will provide the law enforcers with all the support they may require to ensure that the investigations result in justice.
He then appealed to Malawians to support the commission and the police with any information relevant to the matter.
On October 8, residents of Mpingu and Msundwe mounted illegal roadblocks on the Mchinji-Lilongwe road. The Police rushed to the scene to disperse the group but one of the police officers Usuman Imedi was killed during the fracas.
The next day, officers were deployed to Mpingu, M’bwatalika and Msundwe trading centres to arrest suspects.
During the operation, police officers raped and sexually abused women and self-boarding girl students. They also tortured people and looted private property.
“MHRC will provide the law enforcers with all the support they may require to ensure that the investigations result in justice.”
That is at odds with the headline, which implies that MHRC will hold its own independent inquiry.