Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda has called on Malawians to engage in mob justice when they catch a suspect.
Chimwendo made the remarks on Sunday during a rally at Chantulo Ground in Mangochi.
In a video clip from the rally, Chimwendo expressed concern that suspects of child rape are not being punished by community members despite the rise in rape cases.
He then urged people to beat up child sexual abuse suspects before taking them to police.
“Cases of rape have reached alarming levels in the country but when people apprehend suspects they don’t beat them up. This is not right. Anyone found raping a child should be heavily assaulted. Community policing should work together with chiefs to ensure suspects are dealt with,” said Chimwendo Banda.
The minister’s remarks come as cases of mob justice are also rampant in the country. In many cases where mob justice is involved, suspects do not end up in police custody but are beaten or stoned to death and sometimes set on fire.
The police which are under Chimwendo’s ministers continue to encourage people to hand over suspect to the law enforcers.
Malawians on social media have since condemned the minister for encouraging mob justice.
