Four Chikwawa Men in Cooler for Unlawfully Circumcising Under-aged Boys

Police in Chikwawa on Monday arrested four men for allegedly administering unsafe and forced circumcision to under aged boys.

Chikwawa Police Station, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Constable Foster Benjamin said the arrest was made following a manhunt that the law enforcers led by Assistant Superintendent, Kalemba Gondwe carried out in the wee hours of Monday.

He explained that the six boys, under the ages of 10, have since been retrieved from the initiation camp and referred to Chikwawa District Hospital for treatment.

The Suspects have been identified as Blessings Chikutu, 26, Wilfred Chafudzila, 18, Khumbo Mafunga, 13, and Frank Medson, 19.

“Prior to the arrest, the police received a complaint that a 30-year-old man was forcibly circumcised alongside his little son.

“The Father, Nickson Lamposi, was rescuing his son who had fallen into the hands of initiators,” Benjamin added.

The Police Publicist said in the process of trying to rescue his son, Lamposi was detained and circumcised before being set free after a ransom was settled.

“A charge of act intending to cause grievous harm has since been pressed against them and they are expected to appear in court soon,” said the district’s PRO

The four are from Mologeni Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Katunga in Chikwawa.

Recently, Police in the district also detained a 23-year-old man on suspicion that he forced an eight year-old boy into initiation ceremony and circumcision.

A Traditional Circumciser popularly known as ‘Ngaliba’, Symon Kayiya was arrested on Friday after coercing a Standard 3 boy to undergo a rite of passage.

The suspect committed the offence at a traditional camp within Nsanje Village under Traditional Authority Mulilima in Chikwawa district.