UN demands Malawi to explain on Chasowa, Fanikiso cases
The United Nations Human Rights Commitee is demanding an explanation from Malawi government on progress of criminal proceedings on the death of University of Malawi (Unima) students Fanikiso Phiri and Robert Chasowa.
Phiri, who was a third-year Bachelor of Education student at Chancellor College in Zomba, was allegedly shot by a police officer during a student demonstration in 2001.
Chasowa, a critic of former president Bingu wa Mutharika and fourth year Polytechnic student, was found in a pool of blood at the college campus in 2011. He was allegedly murdered by some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials because he had crossed path with some of the party’s prominent figures.
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo asked the UN to press government to expeditiously prosecute those involved in the murder of Chasowa and July 20, 2011 killings .
He said government should also sanction those responsible according to law and provide adequate reparations to families and victims.
The UN Human Rights Committee is currently meeting in Geneva, Switzerland where a Malawi delegation is expected to respond to several human rights issues raised by the committee.
The delegation, being led by the Secretary for Justice and Solicitor General Janet Banda, comprises officials from her ministry, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation ministry, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and Malawi Police Services.
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