MALAWI: Catholic University Law Students Challenged to Assist Indigent Prisoners
Luke Bisani
Students from the Faculty of Law at the Catholic University of Malawi have been challenged to assist prisoners who cannot afford legal representation for their cases.
During a Moot Court Competition training organized for students on Wednesday this week, Rev. Fr. Dr. Wilfred Sumani the Director of Academics and Quality Assurance at the university, urged the students to restore hope for those incarcerated without means to secure legal assistance.
“Last year, I was in Balaka with our late Vice-Chancellor, Associate Professor Ngeyi Ruth Kanyongolo. She shared a story about how she, along with her students, helped prisoners regain their freedom,” Father Sumani recounted.
“This year, the Church is commemorating a Jubilee year under the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. As a faculty, can we not go to our prisons and help liberate those who do not belong there?”
He emphasized that the University would provide the necessary resources to support the faculty in handling the cases.
Counsel Noel Chalamanda, one of the influential lawyers in the country who facilitated the training, expressed his commitment to join the challenge of helping prisoners on pro bono.
“I will take on ten cases in this challenge and only require assistance from the students with the paperwork,” he stated.
Malawi has faced issues with arrests for nuisance-related offenses and inadequate investigations, often targeting impoverished individuals. This situation contributes to overcrowding in police cells and prisons.
The country is also under scrutiny for experiencing significant delays and mishandling by state actors, demonstrating systemic failures within the criminal justice system.
