High Court Assistant Registrar urges Magistrates, Police to study Disability Laws
High Court Assistant Registrar Rodrick Michongwe has urged magistrates, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers, and state prosecutors to familiarize themselves with laws relating to persons with disabilities to ensure proper interpretation and delivery of justice.
Michongwe made the remarks in Zomba during a one-day training workshop for magistrates, court clerks, court marshals, CID officers, and state prosecutors.
The workshop was organized by the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities in Malawi to strengthen the understanding of disability-related laws among justice officials.
He emphasized that persons with disabilities are equal members of society who can both commit offences and become victims of crimes, and therefore deserve equal access to justice.
However, Michongwe noted that limited knowledge of disability-related laws often hinders fair treatment and access to justice for persons with disabilities.
“It is very dangerous when people responsible for interpreting laws do not understand disability-related legislation because it may result in persons with disabilities failing to receive proper justice,” he said.
He appealed to court workers and police officers to study laws concerning persons with disabilities to ensure they receive fair justice whenever their rights are violated.
Speaking during the workshop, Project Coordinator for the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities in Malawi, Andrew Chinkanda, said the training aimed to help magistrates and police officers understand disability laws that came into effect in 2024.
Chinkanda said persons with disabilities continue to face numerous challenges, including limited access to justice, largely because many police officers and magistrates are unfamiliar with disability-related laws.
“Due to inadequate knowledge of the Disability Act, officers often fail to provide the necessary assistance to persons with disabilities seeking justice from these institutions,” he said.
One of the participants, Sub Inspector Peter Sosola, a state prosecutor, said the training had been eye-opening as it exposed them to many aspects of disability laws they previously did not understand.
He added that they would apply the knowledge gained to help ensure persons with disabilities receive justice equally, just like everyone else.
