Working with Chief Inspect Mvula of the Zambia Police-Victim Support Unit, and with encouragement from their headquarters in Virginia, the project transported the victim to the Mpika District Hospital, some 50 Km away. Then they sued Mwansa in the district court and, considering Ms. Bwalya’s age and health status, they petitioned the court to hear the case in Chakopo.

The court agreed and set a trial date of April 11, right there in Chakopo. “We provided transportation for the court and the prosecution team to Chakopo,” says Catherine Mbokoma, Country Coordinator for Nascent Solutions Zambia and head of the WEAVE project. “Bringing the court to the community was not only for the purposes of legal proceedings but also acting to sensitize the community that distance is not a barrier to the dispensation of justice.”

The accused, Fred Mwansa was found guilty of committing rape on a defenceless old woman, and the case was committed to the high court for sentence. Fred was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour at Kasama High court on 16 At the end of it all, Nascent Solutions CEO, Dr. Beatrice Wamey, observed that by patiently weaving a web of commitment, community involvement, innovation and modest resources, the WEAVE project finally obtained justice for a victim of terrible abuse by bring her abuser to justice. “WEAVE’s action was a teaching moment for all of us. It showed that justice for everyone is possible; it showed that with proper sensitization, gender equity is possible, and that with the right incentives, services such as the courts can be made more accessible to all citizens,” she said.

This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of [insert recipient name] and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.