Monday, September 7, 2009

Sexual offences worry Ministry of Justice

Malawi's Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Justice in the country is reported to be doing alot in trying to curb sexual offences in Malawi. Pic by Malawi Digest.

By Emmanuel Muwamba

Sexual offences in the country are currently on the increase and such offences are against the dignity of women and girls highly upheld by the Constitution, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has observed.

“There is thus need to curb this increase by whatever means,” said Stella Mapemba, a senior state advocate in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs at a workshop for police prosecutors in Blantyre last week.

“Much as the ultimate decision rests with the court, the prosecutor is each sexual offence has the responsibility of influencing the sentence. Until each prosecutor understands their role, the efforts to curb the increase of such offences will continue being a threat to the public hence prejudicing the public trust in our judicial system,” she added.

Mapemba said the primary role of a prosecutor is to charge the right people with the suitable sexual offences.

“A prosecutor needs to marry the evidence available to a relevant suspect as well as a relevant offence in the Penal Code. Doing so will lessen the possibly of unnecessary acquittals.”-The Nation on Sunday, 6 September, 2009.

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