Court, Synod free Mzimba boy
Church and Society Programme of the Livingstonia Synod has helped liberate a 10-year-old boy from a broken family where struggle for survival forced him out of school into the ills of child labour.
The synod’s social arm on Thursday afternoon transported court marshals to Mzimba West to re-unite Lennie Msuku with her son, despite resistance from his father’s relatives.
Said Msusku: “I am the happiest mother in the world. Since my divorce from Eddings Malango Mvula in 2010, I have had to live with the pain of fending for my nieces and sending them to school, while my own son was being starved by stepmothers and languishing in tobacco estates.”
The Child Justice Court on June 29 2012 ordered Msuku to take custody of Daniel in accordance with small claims rules of the Judiciary.
Malango Mvula, who faces arrest for contempt of court following the verdict passed by magistrate Brian Msiska in Mzuzu, reportedly assaulted her when she went to reclaim her son two months ago.
“I have gone through untold suffering and I could not take any more beatings,” said the joyful mum.
According to the warrant of arrest The Nation has seen, Malango Mvula could be jailed for failing to release the child to the applicant for “education and care” following the ruling.
Funded by Transform Aid, Church and Society is working with community members in Mpherembe, to enhance childcare and well-being.
Project officer Hughes Chinkhuntha said the faith-based organisation intervened because most victims of human rights abuse, especially women in poverty, fail to access justice since courts and police stations are far apart.
