The Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) yesterday said it has completed 268 investigations out of the 592 complaints lodged with the commission since its establishment in August 2021.
Briefing the media in Lilongwe yesterday, ICC deputy director of investigations Grant Kankhulungo said 324 complaints are still under investigation.
He added that 17 cases were submitted for legal opinion, 13 complaints were withdrawn and 63 complaints are pending commencement.
Kankhulungo also said the commission has secured three convictions and that 22 cases were recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for prosecution while 20 cases have been recommended for disciplinary sanctions.
In addition, he said 18 complaints were investigated and the Malawi Police Service officers involved were cleared.
From January this year, the commission has recorded 72 complaints against law enforcement officers.
He said most of the cases that the commission is handling involve injuries sustained in police custody, deaths resulting from police action and injuries caused by police action.
“Many of the complaints we receive also concern police inaction. People report cases to the police, but it often takes too long for them to receive assistance. We have also handled cases where police officers have taken money from individuals in exchange for bail or as bribes to provide assistance,” said Kankhulungo.
But he lamented funding gaps, saying they continue to cripple the commission’s operations, with only K1.5 billion allocated in the current fiscal year against a budget of K3.2 billion.
Kankhulungo said the commission also experienced a budget cut of nearly K100 million in the last financial year, affecting many of its operations.
He further said the commission is working towards establishing an independent Act by the end of this year to strengthen its operations and enhance its capacity to handle cases effectively.
Kankhulungo said the commission currently operates under the 2010 Police Act which limits its role to making recommendations to police authorities, adding that the proposed law review would grant the commission prosecutorial powers.
National Police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo said he was yet to receive details of the matter.
He said the service would need time to review the details before commenting.
DPP Fostino Maele was also not immediately available for comment.
The ICC was established under Section 128 of the Malawi Police Act to independently investigate complaints made by members of the public against police officers and the Malawi Police Service as an institution.
