People around Muona-Fatima in Nsanje have commended non-governmental organisations (NGOs) implementing the Spotlight Initiative in the district for facilitating mobile courts in the hard-to-reach area.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, group village head Gooke said gender-based violence (GBV) victims and others are now able to access justice.
“Previously, people used to travel to Sorgin, Bangula and Nsanje to be tried or to testify,” she said.
Martin Veremu, who works at Trinity Mission Hospital in the area, said the trials are shaping people’s behaviour as they know they will be prosecuted if they break the law.
Speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, Senior Chief Mlolo said plans are underway for the area to have its own court.
“The area has cases, ranging from criminal and civil, but justice is slow because of the long distances to courts at NsanjeBoma or Bangula,” she said.
However, on Friday Nsanje senior resident magistrate Akya Mwanyongo heard three cases in the area. Two were defilement cases and another was an incest case.
During trial, he granted bail on health grounds to a 43-year-old man answering a defilement charge.
But Mwanyongo denied bail to another defilement suspect represented by lawyer Aubrey Maseko, saying the court will determine the application on September 16.
In the incest case, State prosecutor Phillemon Banda finished making his submissions and the magistrate adjourned the case to September 16.
In an interview, Mwanyongo said court is not the structures on ground, but officials vested with powers to provide justice.
He also thanked the NGOs for facilitating the mobile court.
Ezrah Black of Organisation for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development Initiative, said they facilitated the mobile court to enable people in the area access justice.
