Police arrest 33 in Lilongwe fracas

Police have arrested 33 people in the aftermath of the fracas in Lilongwe at the weekend that saw civilians damaging a police unit and torching an anti-riot vehicle in protest over the police’s unprofessional conduct.

In a related development, the Malawi Police Service (MPS) has transferred Central Region Commissioner of Police Clifford Devson Bandawe to Police College in Zomba barely a day after the fracas in Lilongwe’s Area 38 Township.

In an interview yesterday, Central Region police spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula said the 33 have been arrested in connection with the fracas that caused mayhem on Saturday and Sunday, leading to an impromptu closure of the Dedza-Lilongwe M1 Road section between Bunda Turn-Off and Biwi Triangle.

He said the suspects, currently in police custody, have been charged with two counts of causing malicious damage and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Bandawe confirmed about his transfer to Police College and described it as “a normal transfer”.

He also dismissed speculation that his office refused to provide resources to officers tasked to restore peace at Area 38, a situation that led to the torching of the anti-riot vehicle by the community after it had run out of fuel.

Said Bandawe: “That’s not true.”

He has since been replaced by his immediate deputy, John Nyondo.

In a wireless message circulated on Sunday, which The Nation has seen, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Administration) Duncan Mwapasa said Bandawe’s transfer is with immediate effect.

Reads the memo in part: “The following postings have been approved, with immediate effect. Mr C. Bandawe –Commissioner of Police–to Police College. Supernumerally, Mr J. S. Nyondo from Central Region Police Headquarters to Commissioner–Central Region. By copy of this wireless message, paypol to take note.”

Irate residents damaged Chitsime Police Unit and torched the anti-riot armoured vehicle to vent their anger on police officers over what they deemed as unprofessional conduct by the law enforcers over the murder of a resident businessperson earlier in the week.

Social media reports suggested that Bandawe’s transfer was triggered by the fracas that ensued between the police officers and some community members.

The residents on Saturday and Sunday engaged police officers in running battles as they accused the law enforcers of shielding a man suspected to have killed 17-year-old motorcycle taxi operator Masauko Gabriel Makola.

An Area 38 resident, who asked for anonymity, said the matter was reported to the police unit the same day the boy went missing.

Said the resident: “But there was little effort by the law enforcers to arrest Makola’s suspected killers, let alone assist in the search for his whereabouts.”

The highly-incensed residents also damaged some privately-owned vehicles passing through Kaphiri Trading Centre located between the busy Biwi Triangle business centre and Bunda Turn-Off.

Residents said the whole episode started when an unidentified man on Thursday hired Makola to an unknown destination. The ‘client’ is later alleged to have attacked and killed Makola, dumping his body in a well.

Another resident said relatives and sympathisers discovered Makola’s body on Saturday, after a two-day search.

He said Makola’s death shocked and angered many people who branded the police officers as behaving in an irresponsible and unresponsive manner; hence, the fracas that ensued.

Dandaula said the community’s anger was triggered by a rumour that the police officers had arrested and were keeping in custody a man suspected to have killed Makola.

He said: “So, they came demanding the release of the suspect so that they could deal with him on their own. Our officers dismissed the rumour, but the community could not take it and this marked the beginning of the fracas between the police and the people.”

Dandaula said the angry residents pelted stones at police officers and destroyed the unit in the process.

He said: “They [residents] burnt tyres and created a barricade on the M1 Road, leaving motorists stranded. The situation was very tense [on Sunday].”

Other sources claimed that the police mission to the scene was fraught with poor planning and inadequate resources, including fuel, and personnel. It is said that the fortified vehicle was set on fire by the angry mob after it had been hurriedly abandoned by its officers who could not get away in it due to a technical problem.

But in an earlier interview, Dandaula said the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault, adding that the angry mob merely took advantage of the situation to torch it.

He said: “Take it from me. The vehicle developed a mechanical fault. So, it could not move and the community just took advantage of that to burn it.”

Meanwhile, a governance and social commentator Undule Mwakasungula has cautioned community members against reacting by taking the law into their hands.

He emphasised that by blocking the road, the communities were violating other people’s right to movement.

In recent years, clashes between police and civilians have led to several cases of citizens damaging police infrastructure. Cases in point include Chilomoni Police Sub-station and Chirimba Police Unit in Blantyre as well as Senzani Police Unit in Ntcheu.