If I were: Garry Chirwa

Author of If I Were column, working for a reputable paper like The Nation, I would phone Lot Dzonzi to establish the truth of the matter on allegations that the police was shielding a cop who allegedly shot dead a person, before putting it in paper.

This would have led me to discover that the police are investigating this matter seriously; that some government officials from the Department of Forestry and Wildlife and the police were on duty protecting the environment, what with climate change concerns. In the process of their patrols, they impounded a lorry carrying charcoal.

Then a rogue police officer, who is on interdiction for another criminal case, brought some roughnecks to rescue the lorry and charcoal from these government officials. Some struggle ensued that led to the firing of the gun by police officers, leading to the death of one roughneck and another one was seriously injured.

I would have further established that they had aimed at getting the firearms from the police officers and that the rogue police officer who was obstructing police and government officials on duty was on the run for some time but has now been arrested.

I would have further established that the said police officer was the cause of this fracas and everything that happened thereof and that the dead and injured persons were in the group of the roughnecks obstructing government officials on duty.

Unfortunately, I am Lot Dzonzi not Garry Chirwa.

Note:This write-up has been authored by the Police IG in response to a previous article by Garry Chirwa.