Police brutality angers residents

Advertisement
Malawi Police

People in the commercial city of Blantyre have expressed anger after police officers chased away residents from Limbe and mercilessly beat them in the name of tightening security in the city.

Malawi24 has learnt that from Monday this week, police officers have been chasing away people from Limbe town as soon as the sun sets.

Malawi Police
Accused of brutality. Library)

It has also been established that some people were beaten during the operations.

Speaking with this publication, one of the victims who asked for anonymity said he was beaten on Tuesday at around 7 pm in Limbe as he wanted to catch a minibus heading to his home in Nancholi.

Joining the source was Mary Gunde from Chilomoni who said she was almost beaten by the police officers in Blantyre town some minutes before 7 pm.

She then condemned the act saying it could be better if the officers could be starting at around 9pm and not 7pm.

However, the country’s police publicist Nicholas Gondwa says people in the city should not be scared as there is nothing happening other than the tightening of the country’s security.

He admitted that the police headquarters in the capital city of Lilongwe has been receiving thousands of phone calls asking them to clarify on the presence of more police officers in the city.

“Yes it is true, we received more phone calls from people in the commercial city as people are wondering with the presence of more officers. There is no other reason than that of tightening security and ensuring peaceful living of people.”

“Apart from that, we are also aiming at scaring thieves in the country. So, people should not be scared with the initiative,” said Gondwa.

The publicist cleared speculations that maybe there is something that has gone wrong in the city that has led to the implementing of the initiative. He also maintained that the initiative will continue.

However, unconfirmed reports show that a city council officer was attacked as he was on duty confiscating goods from street vendors in the city while a police officer was robbed of a gun, developments that have led to the introduction of the initiative.