The Police in Ntcheu arrested a 54-year-old man who is suspected to have been defiling young girls on their way from school.
The case came under police investigation when a well-wisher tipped YONECO Office in the district. Immediately, YONECO engaged official from District Social Welfare and Ntcheu Police Victim Support Unit (VSU) and summoned the parents and guardians of the children. Later, the survivors were called for their side of the story and they further revealed that the issue was indeed true.
The young girls stated that they were afraid of reporting the matter to anyone as their assailant threatened to kill them once they tell anyone about the incidences. Tests at Ntcheu District Hospital also proved that the girls have been defiled on multiple occasions. With this finding, the Police launched a man hunt which led to the arrest of the suspect whom all the children separately identified as their assailant.
According to the survivors of this sexual violence who are between the ages of 9 and 10, the man has been defiling them for some months.
Currently, YONECO Officers in Ntcheu are providing psycho-social counselling to all the girls who survived this ordeal.
Ntcheu is one of the districts in Malawi where cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) are rampant. In 2019, YONECO office in the district handled 573 GBV cases of which 18 were on defilement. This year, a total of 15 cases have already been reported to YONECO and Ntcheu Police. Currently, YONECO and other stakeholders planning to commence sensitization campaigns in the district.
