Malawian, Jumbe Phiri acquitted of child trafficking
Nation Reporter
Malawian, Jumbe Phiri acquitted of child trafficking
Content Type: Free
A MALAWIAN, Paul Jumbe Phiri has been acquitted of the charge of child trafficking across borders after the state failed to prove the age of the victim among other facts.
Lusaka Magistrate Idah Phiri found that the prosecution failed to provide tangible evidence to establish the burden of proof in the case which included that indeed she was a child at the time of the alleged trafficking.
She noted that the court could not depend on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) alone as many factors would affect the outcome of the results, which it could not depend on, especially that there was no legal document like national registration, passport or under-5 card available to complement.
Delivering her ruling, Ms Banda found that the State failed to provide solid evidence through her parents as tangible witnesses to prove her age.
She said the state had an opportunity to include the girl’s parents as witnesses to their case, and also to rule-out as proof of their involvement in the alleged marriage between Phiri, 24 and the victim assumed to be underage at the time when she travelled to Zambia.
The magistrate said there was no effort by the police to bring the parents as witnesses to the matter despite contacts being provided to them by the accused person.
She also explained that the state lamentably failed in their prosecution of the case when they could not provide evidence that the transport money sent to the girl to travel from Malawi to Lusaka was solicitation, to facilitate for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
She said it was possible that the girl could have travelled in search of a potential job opportunity, but that while she was in Lusaka, they could have also developed feelings for each other, which resulted in the relationship and subsequent pregnancy.
Magistrate Phiri said the state failed to ascertain that the transport money was for facilitation for sexual exploitation.
Phiri, a Malawian of Village Shamama, Kasungu District, was charged with human trafficking, which changed to child trafficking when it was alleged the girl was under 18 years when she came to Zambia.
Lusaka mayoral hopeful cites ills affecting city
UPND aspiring Lusaka Mayor Chitambala Mwewa has identified poor drainage infrastructure, indiscriminate waste disposal and weak enforcement of sanitation laws as some of the key challenges contributing to flooding and poor sanitation in the capital city.
Speaking during a live interview, Mr. Mwewa said Lusaka’s drainage system was largely broken and non-functional, partly because many residents had turned drainage channels into dumping sites.
He pledged to prioritise the rehabilitation and unblocking of drainage systems to improve water flow, reduce flooding and enhance public health.
Mr. Mwewa, however, stressed that infrastructure improvements alone would not solve the city’s challenges.
He called for sustained public education campaigns and stricter enforcement of sanitation laws, urging residents to embrace a culture of cleanliness and collective responsibility under the slogan, “My City, My Responsibility,” to help build a cleaner and more organised Lusaka. - MILLENNIUM TV.
