Police officers on Wednesday beat up a Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier as police brutality in the name of Covid-19 rules enforcement continues unabated in the country.
The army officer Marcel Chirwa Jnr was assaulted on Wednesday night. A video clip of the incident shows over five police officers beating up the soldier at a drinking joint in Lilongwe.
According to reports, the police officer stormed the drinking joint to enforce Covid-19 rules which among others require drinking joints to close at 8PM.
Chirwa was one of the people found at the drinking joint after 8Pm and instead of arresting him the police officers started beating him.
Chirwa’s father Brigadier (retired) Marcel Chirwa senior expressed concern over the assault of his son.
“My son is heard pleading with the killers but they could not stop. I thank those that captured this clip at the time it happened on the evening of 3rd March 2021. The defenceless son was found at a drinking joint after 8PM,” he wrote on Facebook.
Chirwa who is also former Malawi ambassador to Kenya said that it is better for a person to die of Covid-19 than to be killed by the police.
He said: “I am heartbroken. His brother, in Kenya, was killed almost in the same way. He is only 30-years-old and he must be allowed to live his life in full” said Chirwa.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police George Kainja says the Police and the Malawi Defence Force are investigating the incident.
Police officers have been on the prowl in recent months, beating up citizens and stealing items from bars in the name of enforcing Covid-19 rules. Despite condemnation from President Lazarus Chakwera, the brutality continues unabated.
Kupala moto kudambwe ..
Titi tiwone kuti zitha bwanji