In a significant ruling, High Court Judge Justice Chifundo Kachale has sentenced six police officers to prison terms ranging from 15 to 20 years for the murder of Buleya Lule, a suspect who died in police custody.
The sentences were handed down in Lilongwe, with Paul Chipole receiving the harshest penalty of 20 years. Ikram Malata was sentenced to 18 years, while Richard Kalawire, Innocent Wanda, Maxwell Mbidzi, and Abel Maseya each received 15-year sentences.
The court declined to impose separate sentences for the second count of causing grievous harm, citing that it was the direct cause of Lule’s death.
Lead defence lawyer Lugamo Mwabutwa expressed satisfaction with the judgments, while state prosecutor Dzikondianthu Malunda acknowledged that the sentences brought closure to the case, although they had sought maximum penalties.
The ruling marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice and accountability for the police officers involved in Lule’s death. The case has been closely watched, with many seeing it as a test of the justice system’s ability to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions.
