Mutti concerned with high crime rate among children
By Rosemary Kamanga
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, has expressed concern over the rising crime rate among children in the country.
Ms. Mutti says there is a need for parents to take responsibility by imparting good morals to their children.
Speaking during the ceremonial opening of the High Court’s criminal session in Mongu, Western Province, Ms. Mutti said there is a need to reform the current legal framework dealing with child offenders.
She notes that the existing Children’s Code Act No. 12 of 2022 requires amendments to effectively address the issue.
Ms. Mutti also said it is important to address the backlog of court cases, which continues to strain the criminal justice system.
She called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, including judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, law enforcement, and community leaders.
She further challenged the judiciary to consider media coverage of cases of public interest to foster transparency and accountability.
Judge in charge of Western Province, Justice John Mbuzi, shared Ms. Mutti’s concerns, citing the inadequacy of the law in addressing child offenders.
This is according to a statement issued to ZNBC News in Lusaka by National Assembly of Zambia Senior Media Liaison Officer, Nshamba Muzungu.
