Investigate errant officers

January 2, 2020

The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) announced last week its investigations into the Msundwe saga revealed that 13 women were raped, one girl defiled and three under-18 women were sexually assaulted.

The police acts are shameful, to say the least, given the fact that the men in uniform are supposed to protect life and property. Over 100 police officers were deployed to restore law and order at Msundwe, Mbwatalika and Mpingu in Lilongwe but instead of engaging professionaly some officers pounced on the women.

When the incident came out, police were on the effensive, saying they would investigate what really happened on October 8 but to date, police has not disclosed its findings on the matter.

The report from commissioners Martha Chizuma and Mary Kanyuka comes hot on the heels of another damning report by the Centre for Human Rights Education Advocacy and Assistance (Chreaa) which exposed that police were engaged in extra-judicial killings of ex-convicts.

The recommendation from the commissioners is that theInspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa has to institute criminal inveestigations. Every sane person must be waiting to see the day police will arrest the perpetrators.

In the democratic dispensation, one would feel police would not only act professionally but also respect human rights. It is unfair that police has not said when they will act on the report. Chances are high that police will not act on the report in any way.

The violent and inhuman acts dents the Malawi police human rights image. It is, therefore, not surprising that the European Union (EU) has demanded swift action on the errant police officers.

While we are talking about it, it is clear now that some men in uniform are so bent on breaking the very law they are supposed to uphold. Not so long ago, a soldier killed his two colleagues before he was also gunned down. And only this week a soldier hacked his colleague to death.

The recruitment of state security officers has oftentimes raised a number of questions. It is evident that officers are mostly employed because their parents or relatives are also officers. This, in essence, has led to officers engaging in illegal acts.

Police officers have to understand that no one is above the law. We have heard of men in uniform raping sex workers and beating up suspects in police cells. And no one seems to care.

Onus is on Mwapasa to act on the issue and clear the police image.n January 2, 2020

The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) announced last week its investigations into the Msundwe saga revealed that 13 women were raped, one girl defiled and three under-18 women were sexually assaulted.

The police acts are shameful, to say the least, given the fact that the men in uniform are supposed to protect life and property. Over 100 police officers were deployed to restore law and order at Msundwe, Mbwatalika and Mpingu in Lilongwe but instead of engaging professionaly some officers pounced on the women.

When the incident came out, police were on the effensive, saying they would investigate what really happened on October 8 but to date, police has not disclosed its findings on the matter.

The report from commissioners Martha Chizuma and Mary Kanyuka comes hot on the heels of another damning report by the Centre for Human Rights Education Advocacy and Assistance (Chreaa) which exposed that police were engaged in extra-judicial killings of ex-convicts.

The recommendation from the commissioners is that theInspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa has to institute criminal inveestigations. Every sane person must be waiting to see the day police will arrest the perpetrators.

In the democratic dispensation, one would feel police would not only act professionally but also respect human rights. It is unfair that police has not said when they will act on the report. Chances are high that police will not act on the report in any way.

The violent and inhuman acts dents the Malawi police human rights image. It is, therefore, not surprising that the European Union (EU) has demanded swift action on the errant police officers.

While we are talking about it, it is clear now that some men in uniform are so bent on breaking the very law they are supposed to uphold. Not so long ago, a soldier killed his two colleagues before he was also gunned down. And only this week a soldier hacked his colleague to death.

The recruitment of state security officers has oftentimes raised a number of questions. It is evident that officers are mostly employed because their parents or relatives are also officers. This, in essence, has led to officers engaging in illegal acts.

Police officers have to understand that no one is above the law. We have heard of men in uniform raping sex workers and beating up suspects in police cells. And no one seems to care.

Onus is on Mwapasa to act on the issue and clear the police image.