The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) has called on the Police to investigate and bring to book those responsible for the recent killing of a 67-year-old woman Esinala Mbowe over witchcraft allegations.
Mbowe hailed from Mwahimba Village in the area ofĀ Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga
District.
The statement urges Government to strengthen security and advance welfare of senior citizens in the country.
“We urge the Malawi Police Service to do everything in theirĀ power to arrest whoever is responsible for this heinous crimeĀ and bring them to justice without delay. We also urge
authorities to take all necessary measures for enhancing theĀ safety of older persons in the country,” the statement reads inĀ part.
This development comes barely two months after anotherĀ elderly woman was brutally murdered in Fumbwa Village in theĀ area of Traditional Authority Tambala in Dedza over witchcraft
accusations.
The two organisations have since urged the Director of PublicĀ Prosecution to speed up trial and conclusions on all cases where the elderly have been victimised on accusations ofĀ witchcraft or other subjective issues.
They argue in the statement that ,”Every person has the rightĀ to life and no person shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or herĀ life.ā
During commemorations of International Day of older persons,Ā Patricia Kaliati, Minister of Gender, Community DevelopmentĀ and Social Welfare said Government will hold responsible
everyone who abuse older persons.
āI am telling you that whoever is going to call older peopleĀ witches or whoever is going to kill them, will be punished. It is by law that those who victimise older persons should face the law and am calling upon all security agencies to arrest people who are infringing on the rights of the elderly,” said Kaliati.
Section 19(3) of the Constitution states that āNo person shallĀ be subject to torture of any kind or to cruel, inhuman orĀ degrading treatment or punishment.ā
CEDEP and CHRR join the ranks of Malawi Network of OlderĀ Persons Organisations (MANEPO) in calling for a stop on allĀ forms of mistreatment and brutal killings on the elderly.