Police, taxi driver face legal action over baby death
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has recommended legal action against Malawi Police Service and a taxi driver over the death of a baby at a police check-point in Mzimba District last year.
MHRC carried out investigations into the death of a six-week-old baby after the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) wrote them.
Presenting the report findings in Lilongwe yesterday, MHRC faulted traffic police for detaining a vehicle that was taking the child to the hospital.
On the other hand, the taxi driver was faulted for operating without a valid road service permit.
Reads the report in part: “The report has found out that the conduct of the traffic police officers at Mtambalika temporary police check point and the taxi driver contributed to the delay in presenting the child for medical attention.”
In its findings, MHRC established that the police detained the vehicle for about 10 to 25 minutes despite the driver informing them that he had carried a child that needed medical attention.
The police stopped the vehicle because the driver had no valid road service permit.
Presenting the report findings, MHRC commissioner Boniface Massa said the family is at liberty to take the police and the taxi driver to court as there was of negligence that led to a loss of life.
MHRC has also recommended that the Malawi Police Independent Complaints Commission should investigate the conduct of the officers that were manning the check point.
The Police and Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services have also been urged to enhance awareness and enforcement of road traffic rules and regulations with special focus on taxi drivers.
National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said the police are yet to go through the report and can only comment after doing so
HRDC chair Gift Trapence has commended MHRC for investigating the matter and recommending legal action.
A representative of the bereaved family Pamela Kumwenda also commended MHRC for the investigation. She said the family will sit down to map the way forward.
