One killed, several injured as Malawi Police clash with Mpata residents in Karonga
One person has been killed while several others have been injured in Karonga during the fracas that erupted between police and the Mpata community on Wednesday.
Confirming the development, Karonga police deputy spokesperson George Mlewa blamed the community for the fracas.
According to Mlewa, the community blocked the Karonga-Chitipa road with big stones and trees early in the morning without known reason.
“We heard motorists were failing to use the Karonga-Chitipa road and when we went to verify, we found the community and when we wanted to ask them they started pelting stones at us,” said Mlewa.
However, the police spokesperson could not confirm the death of a civilian.
“We have not received such information.What we know is that we managed to disperse the community with tear gas,” he added.
But a brother to the victim, Vincent Kasunda confirmed the death and identified the deceased as a 44 year old Master Kasunda.
” Malawi Police have killed my brother,” said Kasunda.
Some of the communitymembers told Nyasa Times that the police knows what they were protesting for.
“They have arrested three of our traditional leaders, namely, GVH Kalambo, Njeghenje and Mwenitete,” one said.
The community also accused the law enforcers for looting goods in their shops and homes during the operation.
Mlewa admitted Police have arrested three traditional leaders on three grounds, proposing violence, malicious damege and robbery with violence.
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I choose to differ with the one who commented above by the name of The Analyst, when the policemen are soft, they get their vehicles damaged and the police station torched. It’s high time the community respected the police. These days policemen are not respected in the name of people’s rights and when they act they are labelled as brutal. Yet we have seen a number of police stations vandalized and cars torched just to take the law into their hands when ever a suspect is under police custody. Is this what we call people’s rights. Do the community have… Read more »
It is so worrisome now to hear that Tear gas can now kill.
Zayambika,,, mumakana Kamuzu mululilanji , kusanva anthu ankupoto.
O………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………O Ask two warring sides as to why they are fighting, each will give no or different reasons. . . . For reasons why the road was blocked, the writer (of this story) shouldn’t have asked the Police, but the community. Coz obviously the police will cite “no reason” or “unknown reasons” so as to justify their (police) brutality. . . . This said, the reason (s) be whatever; blocking the road hence inconveniencing motorist and other road users (who might have nothing to do with whatever happened), is an unacceptable level of savagery and indeed needed to be punished,… Read more »
Why should they block a road denying other people to travel?
Well written comment.