Court orders Costs Review for Nsundwe Rape Victims

The High Court has granted permission to the 18 Nsundwe rape victims to review the costs, where lawyers pocketed K255 million

According to the application filed by the women through their lawyer, Expert M.M asked the court to review the costs proceeding to the judge.

In July this year, the Government paid compensation to 18 women and girls who were allegedly raped by police officers around Mpingu and M’bwatalika in Lilongwe in 2018.

In February 2020, the Women Lawyers Association (WLA) commenced civil proceedings against the Malawi Police Service (MPS), the Clerk of Parliament, Ministry of Homeland Security, and the Inspector General of Police in Judicial Review Cause No. 7 of 2020 on behalf of the victims on pro bono.

According to a press release dated 19th July 2020 and signed by WLA President Immaculate Maluza, the civil matter was concluded successfully and the court-ordered MPS to pay damages to the victims.

However, while the victims got compensated as per the general public desire, it has emerged that the lawyers carted home k255 million, a development that has angered many a Malawian.

“In the Nsundwe case the victims were awarded K5 million each and the lawyers are carting home a whooping K255 million. The 18 victims in total got K90 million and we were meant to believe it was pro bono!  This is the maths people who went to poetry schools like Mulotwa Mulotwa won’t understand. Godot.” Wrote columnist Mulotwa Mulotwa on his Facebook page.

The 18 victims have gotten a meager K5m each totaling K90 million, which runs pale to the K255m going to learned ladies.

Many Malawians have called such a jackpot “obscene.”