YWCA national president Lucy Masiye-Lungu told ZANIS in an interview yesterday that one of the major reasons why defilement cases are withdrawn was because people are usually frustrated with ‘delayed justice’.
Ms. Lungu said most guardians are eager to get justice after reporting defilement cases but they find the long procedures at the police stations frustrating.
She argued that long procedures give the accused persons time to run away or threaten the victims.
“Most times for a defilement cases to be processed, they ask for evidence first and the witness, if the victim’s guardian does not produce that then according to the police, there is no case and becomes costly on the guardians because they fail to follow up when asked to come on a later date,” she said.
Ms. Lungu further stated that most victims of defilement cases in rural areas have no access to proper medical care and counselling which leaves them to suffer the pain of the abuse on their own.
And Zambia Police Spokesperson Mwata Katongo also acknowledged that some cases of defilement are withdrawn because of the long procedures at police stations.
Ms. Katongo however said it was illegal for the police to proceed with a case without the victim’s parents or guardians producing evidence of defilement.
She explained that a number of victims’ guardians or parents fail to produce evidence or witnesses after reporting cases hence the withdrawal of defilement cases.
She reiterated that the police cannot process a case when evidence and witnesses are not provided.
Ms. Katongo added that another reason as to why some defilement cases are withdrawn was that most parents care much about the family names than the psychological impact on the child that has been defiled.
Do you have DNA testings?
That is both the evidence and witness me thinks ?
Thanks
BB2014