The Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) says it has recorded 478 complaints from the public against the conduct of police officers since the start of its operations in 2021.
ICC spokesperson Happy Njalammano said in an interview yesterday that out of the complaints, 166 have been investigated while 312 are under investigation.
“There are 13 cases that have been recommended for prosecution and are currently before various courts nationwide. To date, three convictions have been secured and 14 cases have been recommended for disciplinary action,” he said.
On the other hand, Njalammano said 12 complaints were withdrawn by the complainants.
The recorded cases include 22 incidents involving deaths resulting from police action and 10 cases of deaths occurring in police custody.
Other complaints consist 61 cases of physical assault, four cases of injury resulting from police action, 31 cases of abuse of office as well as 37 cases of bribery and official corruption.
About 40 cases were of theft, 81 cases of misconduct while on duty, nine cases of indecent assault, thee cases of rape and defilement as well as 72 cases of unlawful arrest and/or detention.
But while commending ICC for the investigations, the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) said it was concerned about the 22 reported incidents of deaths resulting from police action.
MHRC executive secretary Habiba Osman said in an interview yesterday that the development violated the right to life.
“It is a human rights issue. It violates the right to life. We would like them to engage others including the Malawi Human Rights Commission to investigate such cases,” she said.
In a separate interview, Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance executive director Victor Chagunyuka Mhango said the figures show that ICC mechanism is increasingly becoming a trusted avenue for citizens to seek redress against police misconduct.
However, he said the high number of ongoing investigations also highlights the need for adequate resources and institutional support to ensure timely and effective resolution of complaints.
“Strengthening this mechanism is vital for enhancing public confidence in law enforcement and upholding human rights standards within the criminal justice system,” said Mhango.
But the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) said the update shows that ICC is capable of holding officers accountable and sends a clear message that misconduct will not be tolerated.
CHRR executive director Michael Kaiyatsa said the ability of citizens to come forward and have their complaints addressed, gives victims of abuse a sense of empowerment and access to justice.
He said: “Police officers are often at the centre of human rights abuse allegations because they operate on the frontline of law enforcement, where they have significant power over individuals, including the use of force, arrests, and detention.”
National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said the police could not comment on the findings because ICC is an independent body.
ICC was established under Section 128 of Malawi Police Act to receive and investigate public complaints against police officers or Malawi Police Service to promote professionalism in the policing functions.
Its functions include to receive and investigate complaints, investigate death or injury as a result of police action and to investigate all deaths and injuries which occur in police custody.
