HRDC demands arrest of police officers who raped women at Msundwe

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The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has given the Malawi Police Service five days to arrest police officers suspected of raping women and girls at Msundwe  and Mpingu Trading Centres.

Mtambo

Speaking on Saturday during a press briefing at Mpingu Trading Centre, HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said the group will hold demonstrations on 27th December if the officers are not arrested.

Mtambo said that it has been two months since the commission of inquiry set up by the Malawi Police Service started its investigations into the case yet no one has been put behind bars.

“Those people who were involved in the killing of a police officer at Msundwe area are still behind bars yet the police officers who raped our women here at Mpingu and Msundwe areas are still walking freely without being arrested,” he explained.

He went on to say that the HRDC will not rest until the justice is seen and they will fight the battle using laws of this country.

On October 8 this year, police officer Usuman Umedi was killed by people at Msundwe when he and other officers went to the trading centre to control an angry mob.

The next day, police officers invaded the trading centre to arrest suspects but it was later reported that women and girls were raped by the officers.

According to a report released by the Malawi Human Rights Commission this week, 17 women and girls were raped by police officers during the operation.