By Raphael Likaka
Zomba based Journalist, Tiyese Monjeza on Friday donated six plastic chairs and 3 plastic buckets to Zomba Police Station after the police rescued him from angry members of Redeemed for Christ Church who were assaulting him on April 25 this year at Muluguzi Magistrate Court where he was covering a defilement case involving Pastor Penjani Sodzera.
Monjeza said he decided to donate the chairs and buckets for Covid-19 response to Zomba Police Station for providing security to people in the district apart from rescuing him at Muluguzi Court on the matter.
Angry men assaulted Monjeza as he was taking pictures of Pastor Sodzera of the Redeemed for Christ Church who was being accused of defiling and impregnating a minor.
He said more than twenty men believed to be members of the Redeemed for Christ Church manhandled him severely and it took two police men that were closer to the scene to rescue him for safety.
The Journalist therefore hailed the police officers for rescuing him from the angry men saying had it not been for the police officers he would be assaulted to death.
“I saw it fit to show my appreciation to what the police officers did to me at the time the angry men pounced on me,” said Monjeza while calling on the police officers to continue providing security to citizens.
He therefore called on Malawians to appreciate services rendered by the Malawi Police Service other than focusing on negatives.
Monjeza further called for continued good relation between the police and the media saying the police and the media provide important services to the nation hence the need to collaborate.
“Let me appeal for good working relationship between the Malawi Police Service and the media and let’s engage in discussions in case of disagreements,” added the Times correspondent who sustained bruises and still complains of bodily pains.
Receiving the donation, Officer in Charge of Zomba Police Station, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Felix Phiri thanked Monjeza for the gesture saying the Criminal Investigation Departments and Victims Support Unit of the station will benefit from the donation because the two departments had limited chairs.
“I thank Mr Monjeza for the gesture because we had limited chairs in some of the sections at the station,” said the Officer in Charge.
He pledged that the Zomba Police Station will maintain good working relations with the media, adding that the station will continue engaging the media so that the media should help to promote police -public relationship.
Police arrested one of the Redeemed for Christ Church members following the Mulunguzi Court assault.
Meanwhile Mulunguzi First Magistrate has sentenced Pastor Penjani Sonjera of Redeemed for Christ Church to 12 years imprisonment for defiling a 15- year old girl.
