Police in Dedza have called on people in Group village headman Chimphandu and Chikhodobole all under Traditional Authority Kasumbu to desist from taking laws into their own hands and stop the act of mob justice that has claimed lives of some individuals in the two areas.
The call was made on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, during one of the awareness campaigns Dedza Police Public Relations office is conducting in the district.
Dedza Police Deputy Publicist Sergeant Cassim Manda said people were reminded that, as much as law allows a private person to effect an arrest, the law clearly states that, upon effecting an arrest, a person arrested shall be taken to nearest police station without unnecessary delays.
He added that it is against Constitution to punish a person alleged to have committed an offence since the Constitution presumes innocence to any person, accused of committing an offence, until that person is proven guilty by competent court of law.
During the meeting, it was established that there are other people who don’t want to take their wards to hospital when sick and later start accusing the elderly of practicing witchcraft when the ward dies.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow traditional leaders, Group Village Headman (GVH) Chimphandu attributed ignorance of the law as one factor contributing to mob justice.
Chimphandu thanked Dedza Police through office of public relations for coming up with the initiative of translating some important laws into Chichewa.
He has since pledged that his subjects will never involve in any act of mob justice since they are now well informed of criminal justice procedures.
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