Police withdraw three girls from early marriages in BT

Police in the commercial city of Blantyre have withdrawn three under-aged girls from early marriages and have also apprehended their suiters for defilement.

Through community policing services office, information was received that two girls from one family at Chirimba got married off by their mother.

Follow up was made that led to arrest of Barnet Molson 23 and withdrawal of a 14 year old girl (name withheld) on September 1, 2020.

Police later arrested Andrew John 19 who was identified to have married a 12 year old young sister of the above victim.

Meanwhile, the 12 year old victim is at large after learning that police picked her boyfriend.

Efforts are currently under way to trace the whereabouts of the girl.

Aise James 34, mother to the two victims has also been picked for allegedly marrying off her young daughters.

Barnet Molson and Andrew John have been charged with defilement.

Barnet Molson hails from Mbera village, traditional authority Kapeni, Andrew John comes from Chivuta village, traditional authority Kunthembwe in Blantyre while Aise James hails from Makanjira village traditional authority Mulumbe in Zomba.

On the same note, police have also arrested 23 year old Timothy Nyirenda of Membe village, traditional authority Mwamulowe in Rumphi for defiling a 15 year old standard eight girl.

The victim is allegedly to have been sent by suspect’s aunt from Rumphi on September 4, 2020 to Blantyre where the suspect works for him to marry.

Upon arrival, the girl was taken into his house and the two started living together as husband and wife.

Later on September 7, after the girl realized that the man was older than she thought, she reported him to police at Manase and he was apprehended.

The victim was referred to One Stop Center at Queen Elizabeth Central hospital for both examination and treatment where defilement was confirmed.

Meanwhile, efforts to send the victim back to her home are in progress so that she joins her colleagues in school.

Nyirenda will appear before court soon to answer the charge of defilement.

Police in Blantyre have since embarked on a campaign to follow up girls who have not reported for classes since schools re-opened after a prolonged holiday due to Corona virus.

This initiative is aimed at tracing girls believed to have been impregnated or married during the said holiday and to track down the perpetrators for possible charges.

In the compaign, officers are visiting all primary schools in the city where school authorities are engaged to provide the needed information.