Jean Richard Mpaweni, the wife to Police Officer Sergeant Twaliki Mpaweni, who is answering defilement charges, testified in the principal Resident Magistrate Court in Zomba that her husband was wrongly accused of having sexual intercourse with a minor at Kachulu Police in August last year.
The wife told the court that on the night of August 27, 2023, her husband slept at home and never went out, contrary to accusations that he had sexual intercourse with the minor in the police cells.
She further told the court that news that a minor was defiled in the police cells and later escaped got to her husband while he was home in the morning on August 28, 2023.
The wife said that it was surprising that her husband was being mentioned in the Kachulu Police sexual offence.
She explained that their house is about 90 meters from the Unit and insisted that her husband did not return to the office after knocking off.
A lawyer representing the accused, Counsel Hanleck Davie Ching’anda from the Legal Aid Bureau, said he was happy with the wife’s testimony in court.
He said that there was clear evidence that Sergeant Mpaweni was wrongly accused.
The Counsel added that one witness from Kachulu Police is yet to appear in court to give testimony.
A lawyer from the Women Lawyers Association, Counsel Tiyamike Chigoneka, said they were just waiting for witnesses to conclude testifying in the court and were ready to cross-examine them.
Principal Resident Magistrate Martin Chipofya adjourned the case up to December 4 at 10 am when the last witness shall appear in court.
Principal Resident Magistrate Court found Mpaweni with two counts to answer; thus having sexual intercourse with a minor and aiding a suspect to escape from lawful custody at Kachulu Police Unit in Zomba on August 27, 2023.
