The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) says it will challenge the injunction order which restrains the Commission from continuing with its investigation on the allegations of child sexual abuse and corporal punishment at Kalibu Academy in Blantyre.

MHRC launched the investigations following allegations that a male teacher at the school sexually harassed female student but the school’s management obtained an injunction from the High Court stopping the Commission from further investigations and subsequent release of the report.

And in a dramatic event, the mother to the concerned student released a statement that the matter was a “blatant lie” by her daughter.

But in a statement released on September 21, 2021 and signed by MHRC chairperson, Scader Louis, the Commission said it has reviewed the Court order and intends to challenge both the injunction order as well as the order granting leave to Kalibu Academy to apply for judicial review.

Reads part of the statement: “Section 129 of Constitution of the Republic of Malawi mandates the Commission to investigate violations of human rights, while section 12 of the Human Rights Commission Act, empowers Commission to investigate violations of human rights on its own motion or upon complaints received from any person, class of person or body.”

The statement further said while Kalibu Academy enjoys the right to seek temporary relief from the court, the Commission is equally entitled to defend its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights in the country.

This is not the first time that Kalibu Academy has been dragged into allegations of sexual abuse as previously one of its directors was also accused of molesting some young boys.