Police in central region district of Dowa have nabbed Route Sikelo for burning her 7 year old son accusing his sibling of stealing chicken.
Reports indicate that the boy in accompany of his friends slaughtered a stolen chicken and roasted it at her mum’s home.
Reports further indicate that the owner of the chicken went to the mother’s child to inform her of what had happened.
Later the mother had to put the a knife on the fire and started burning the child on the nose, cheeks and hands just after the owner had left.
The child is now battling for his life at Dzalaleka Health Center where he is receiving medical treatment.
Reacting to the story, DPP’s shadow Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Mary Thom Navicha has expressed shock over the issue and has condemned the barbaric acts of the woman “shameful and disgraceful” and she has plead with court to give such women stiffer punishments to deter would be offenders.
“This is a gross human rights violation which has huge consequences. Violence against children have immediate personal impacts and the damage that they carry forward into later childhood, adolescence and adult life. The violence that children experience in the context of home and family can lead to lifelong consequences for their health and development. They may lose trust in other human beings essential to normal human development.Violence can result in physical injury, depression, suicidal thoughts and even death. Stress associated with violence in early childhood may permanently impair brain development and damage other tissues of the nervous system,” said Navicha who also served in former president Mutharika cabinet as Gender Minister.
Navicha says it’s heart-wrecking to see a mother who knows the labour pains to do that criminality to her own child without remorseful heart.
“Best places where children are protected are the houses of their parents and to see that parents who are primary custodians to uphold rights of their children are in front abusing their rights irritates me so much,” said Navicha who is also Member of Parliament for Thyolo Thava Constituency.
Navicha adds that no any form of violence against the children is justifiable.
Navicha has also praised the police for the good work they have done in apprehending the suspect to face full wrath of the law in court.
The suspect comes from Ngalazuka Village, Traditional Authority Mkukula in Dowa District and is expected to face multiple charges by the prosecution.
