Non Governmental Organization Coordinating Council has backed calls by High Court Judge Chalwe Mchenga to review the penal law that introduced the fifteen years minimum sentence for sexual offenders.
NGOCC Chairperson Beatrice Grillo has told QFM in an interview that it would be wise enough for government to further stiffen the penalty for sexual offenders.
Ms. Grillo says the NGOCC has been lobbying government to stiffen the sentence for sexual offenders in view of the fact that most convicted sexual offenders repeat the same offence after being released from prison.
She says this is an indication that the current punishment being meted out on sexual offenders is not stiff enough to deter them from committing the same offence.
Ms Grillo has further called the strict enforcement of laws relating to sexual offences.
And Zambia National Women’s Lobby Chairperson Beauty Phiri has expressed sadness adding that despite the ratification of the Penal Code Amendment Act No. 15 of 2005 which introduced fifteen years minimum sentence for most sexual offences, the sentences has not deterred perpetrators of sexual offences.