Man suspected of cutting stepdaughter’s private parts

Police in Balaka have arrested Gannet Twaliki (22) on suspicion that he cut his year-old stepdaughter’s private parts with a razor blade.

Balaka Police spokesperson Titani Chadwala said Twaliki was arrested on April 26 this year.

“We were told by our Machinga counterparts that the suspect was on the run. We launched a manhunt and arrested him,” said Chadwala.

He said the incident happened on April 14 this year at Mwalabu Village in the district.

“Twaliki married the victim’s mother, Fatima Useni on April 3 this year when the woman already had a baby girl. On the night of the incident, the baby started crying persistently. The woman woke up and tried to breastfeed her, but the baby could not stop crying.

“The mother decided to change the baby’s napkins, thinking that she had soiled them only to discover that there was blood all over the napkins. When she checked properly, she discovered that the baby’s private parts had three deep cuts. When the woman quizzed Twaliki, he claimed that the child accidentally slept on the razor blade,” said Chadwala.

He said Twaliki escaped, forcing some people to report to police.

The suspect, who comes from Pungulani Village in Traditional Authority Kalembo in the district, is expected to appear before the Balaka Magistrate’s Court to answer charges of unlawful wounding.