On Wednesday December 7, 2022, female police officers from all 41 policing stations across the country took lead in all policing spheres and apprehended 132 suspects in an intensive three-day operation Basadi.
During the operation which commenced on December 5, 2022, women in uniform led by their chairperson, Miss Jessie Nyirongo, Assistant Commissioner of Police, who is also Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation Department arrested perpetrators of sexual and various offences, conducted sensitisation meetings, sweeping exercises and roadblock checks.
For instance, on the morning of December 5, 2022, officers from Salima arrested Limbikani Samalani, 23, who was on the run after defiling three minors(10-12-years) on November 29, 2022 in the district while in Mzuzu the female officers arrested Bwayi Kita, 73 and Manuel Zulu, 20, Pastor and Prophet of Mzuzu Zion Church for defiling two siblings (14 and 15-years).
In Zomba, the female cops arrested 17 suspects who committed various felonies including Felix Kamalisha, 28, who assaulted his ex-girlfriend and the victim is currently receiving treatment at Zomba General Hospital. In Mangochi Davie Chiepa, 38, was arrested for robbery while in Balaka Hussein Potani, 40, was nabbed after being found with assorted medical drugs without licence in his grocery when the officers were patrolling within the Township.
Female Police officers from Mponela, Mzimba, Luchenza, Mwanza, Chileka, Nkhotakota, Chiradzulu and Lumbadzi arrested suspects of defilement and found in possession of cannabis sativa while in Karonga they recovered stolen items including four plasma screens, two decoders, sub-woofer, radio, electric fan, four cellphones, solar panel and DVD players.
The Blantyre team nabbed 30 suspects on various offences including burglary, theft, possessing Indian hemp and selling liquor without licence while Ndirande female cops arrested Christina Chawanda, 35, who sent her husband on a hospital bed after pulling his manhood on suspicion that he was having an affair with other women.
Salima female law enforcers invaded the streets and eliminated 17 street kids and later summoned their parents for counselling who were strongly advised on the dangers of exposing children to dangerous situations while in Dedza they stormed 12 Video shows whereby 35 minors were chased away from the outlets.
South East Region Police formations visited Khonjeni Primary School in Thyolo and donated writing materials, Ntcheu female cops cheered up female inmates at Ntcheu Prison Service where they donated assorted food items including bags of maize, flour, cooking oil, soap, sugar and salt, while Eastern Region Police Headquarters, Chikwawa, Nkhunga, Monkey-Bay, Dowa, Kasungu and Liwonde dated various communities to preach GBV related issues.
In Mponela four suspects already appeared before court whereby Wilfred Banda, 29, was ordered to pay a fine of K50,000 for the offence of negligent acts likely to spread diseases to life while female cops at Jenda arrested seven Ethiopians for illegal entry.
“Basadi” which literally means ‘women’ in Sotho and Tswana languages is an operation by female police officers across countries in the SADC region and it focuses on combating priority crimes particularly against women and children, such as defilement, rape, assault, human trafficking, domestic violence and child labour among others.
The main purpose of the operation is to display the active role female police officers play in law enforcement.
The SADC region operation was established in 2013 under the theme: “We are on it, gender based violence must stop.”
Basadi operation normally takes place twice annually and every female police officer in the SADC region is expected to participate.
Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi
Secretary: Malawi Police Women Network
Cell:0999-706-525
Email:mamateps1152@gmail.com
Website:www.police.gov.mw