‘Defilers, rapists deserve stiffer punishment’

LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes                                

TIME has come for Zambia to come up with stiffer punishment for defilers and rapists, says New Generation Time (NGT) director Moses Silungwe.

Mr Silungwe said he was saddened over many cases of defilement being reported and which needed to be reduced.

Speaking after a peaceful protest that took place at the weekend against defilers and rapists Mr Silungwe said NGT wanted to petition Members of Parliament to change the laws that dealt with cases of defilers and rapists which were currently on the rise.

Mr Silungwe said so far over 250 people had signed the petition advocating for new laws to be put in place to end defilement and rape cases in Zambia.

“Defilement is 25 years when one is found guilty but cases are not reducing. That is one of the reasons we want to petition the Members of Parliament so that they can change some laws for these cases,” he said.

Mr Silungwe said some of the punishments they were advocating for was that all defilement cases should be unbillable and those that were found guilty to be castrated.

He said they wanted castration to be introduced in Zambia so that cases of defilement could end because people would be scared to commit the offence.

“If only you our law makers can treat issues that affect the girl child as a priority including child marriage and defilement, only then will our country develop to its full potential? We need stiffer punishment for the defilers.

The number of defilement cases had kept growing because the punishment was not adequate.

“Our cry is NO BAIL! NO BOND! CASTRATION! for defilers,” he said.