As marital disputes continue to rise in Balaka, Second Grade Magistrate Stanford Edson Majoni on Tuesday handled five marital cases during a mobile court session held at Mgoma U-5 Clinic in the area of Sub-Traditional Authority Mgoma.

During the session, Magistrate Majoni ordered the dissolution of two marriages—between Joyce Ndaona Type and her husband, Amos Type, and between Lackson Grant and his wife, Esmy Elleson Grant.

The magistrate adjourned three other marital cases to early January. These include the case involving Chimwemwe Jumbe, who is currently in South Africa, and his wife Anne Frank Jumbe, as well as the case between Samson Cosmas and Agnes Mataka Cosmas.

“These mobile courts, apart from promoting the delivery of natural justice, also serve as platforms for sensitizing communities on court procedures, gender-based violence, and child abuse,” Majoni said in an interview with Zodiak Online.

He noted that communities are gradually gaining a better understanding of court processes and the importance of resolving marital disputes through the courts, attributing this progress to the implementation of mobile courts.

Magistrate Majoni also warned village heads against dissolving marriages, emphasizing that only courts have the legal mandate to do so.

The mobile court was facilitated by the Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (CAVWOC) in partnership with Oxfam Malawi, with funding from Oxfam Hong Kong.

CAVWOC Project Officer for Balaka, Wakisa Mhango, said the initiative aims to reduce the long distances rural communities travel to access justice at the Balaka District Headquarters.

“As CAVWOC, we are impressed with the impact mobile courts are having in addressing gender-based violence in the area,” said Mhango.

Group Village Head Mgoma said marital disputes are common in the area due to gender-based violence, which is mainly perpetrated by men. He thanked CAVWOC and the judiciary for bringing court services closer to the people.

Scores of people attended the court session, which was held under a tree.