CHRR condemns police beatings

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Timothy Mtambo

The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has expressed worry over reports that police officer beating in Blantyre beat people when conducting operations using the law of mere vagabond.

Speaking in an interview, CHRR executive director Timothy Mtambo said that police are abusing the human rights of Malawians by using the law of mere vagabond to beat people found in the streets after 5pm.

“What the law says about is not what the police are doing and the law is only beneficial to those who are well to do because by the time the police start their operation the rich can travel without being beaten by the police but the police are targeting the poor,” Mtambo said.

Timothy Mtambo
Condemns police brutality: Mtambo

The activist argued that the constitution of Malawi does not give limitations to people to travel before 6 o’clock hence police officers should stop abusing people.

He added that such police operations encourages corruption as people are forced to pay money to the police officers to be released.

Mtambo urged people whose rights are abused by being beaten by the police to report to their offices to seek help on the issue.

Meanwhile CHRR is working hand in hand with various stakeholders such as the courts and the police on the issue and is also advocating for repeal of the law of vagabond.