First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata has said there is need to urgently start meting out stiffer punishment on perpetrators of gender based violence to deter would be offenders.
The First Lady said government should hear the cry of families that have lost innocent children and women at the hands of defilers and institute severe punishment on offenders.
Dr. Kaseba, who expressed shock at the recent gruesome murder of a12 year old girl of Musopelo village in Keembe constituency of Chibombo district, said the whole incident was painful.
The girl was strangled to death after being defiled by a 33 year old man of the same village.
She said it was unbelievable that defilers have now decided to actually kill their victims after defiling them.
“It is sad to note that as a nation we have gone down to such levels where people are not only defiling and raping young children but that they are actually killing them,” she said.
Dr. Kaseba lamented that the act of defiling a minor is in itself an abominable act and resorting to killing the victim after defiling her was very painful.
The First Lady urged government through the Police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure perpetrators of defilement and other acts of gender based violence are brought to book while harsh punishment is slapped on the defilers.
She was speaking to journalists in Musopelo Village in Keembe constituency last night when she visited the funeral house to console the family of the victim, particularly her mother.
Dr. Kaseba, who had to endure more than five hours of driving on a bumpy and muddy road leading to the small village situated in the heart of Chibombo, said she felt for the family especially the mother hence her decision to go and mourn with her.
The grief gripped First Lady explained that when she read the story of the young girl in the newspaper, she felt pity for the mother of the deceased girl because she is herself a mother.
“I know how it is like to go through labour and you do not go into labour for someone to come and take advantage of your daughter nor do you go into labour for someone to come and kill your daughter. So my heart is with the family. My plea is to government to ensure stiffer penalties are in place to punish offenders,” she said.
Dr. Kaseba also donated an undisclosed amount of money and an assortment of items to the bereaved family to help during the funeral period.
And Gender Deputy Minister Emerine Kabanshi, who accompanied the First Lady to the funeral house, cautioned parents against leaving their young children alone at home as the trend gave defilers an opportunity to take advantage of the helpless children.
Ms. Kabanshi urged parents and guardians to always ensure their children are safe at all times as defilers are out on rampage.
Meanwhile, the grandfather to the deceased girl, Benson Muyuwa also called for harsh punishment for people that are defiling and murdering young girls and women.
Mr. Muyuwa said he wants government to take concrete steps toward ensuring that perpetrators of gender based violence are brought to justice.
Speaking earlier, father to the girl, Progress Muyuwa thanked President Sata and the First Lady for the support rendered to his family during the trying moment in their lives.
He said the visit by the First Lady to a remote village attests government’s love for its people regardless of their social status in society.
“The visit by the First Lady confirms that the Patriotic Front government is really a government that puts the welfare of its people whether rich or poor first. Who would have ever imagined in their wildest dream that the First Lady of this country would travel all these hundreds kilometers to come and console a poor village family?” he asked.
Meanwhile, President Michael Sata yesterday expressed deep sorrow and grief on the loss of the 12 year old girl who was strangled after being defiled in Chibombo district last Saturday.
“I am devastated to learn that a child aged 12, lost her life under very wicked and horrifying circumstances. A family has lost an innocent youngster and there is no expression that can capture the degree of the calamity that has befallen the surviving family members,” said the President in his message of condolences to the minor’s family.
Mr. Sata added that it was truly regrettable that such a wicked thing occurred.
The President hoped that justice would be done in the trial of the killer to deter would be offenders.
Mr. Sata urged the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that they fully apply the law to guarantee minors total protection from this kind of wickedness and other related offenses.
ZANIS
