Chasowa murder suspects claim K60mil from Malawi govt, sue Attorney General

Petros Tembo and Geoffrey Doff Botoman who are among 15  people suspected   to have had  a hand  in the killing of  Robert Chasowa, a former fourth-year engineering student at the Polytechnic, are claiming K60 million compensation from  government for what they argue was wrongful imprisonment and have started legal proceedings for their compesation.

Supreme Court judge Edward Twea ruled  that  the formality of charging the two after their arrests was not done.

.Through private practice lawyer Ambokire Salimu, the first and second accused—Tembo and Doff Botoman— are suing  the Attorney General’s office demanding a whooping K30 million each.

“We are proceeding to the court to sue the A ttorney  General on behalf of government because there is no settlement in sight,” said Salimu.

He , however, disclosed that there have been  positive discussions with State counsel Apoche Itimu representing Attorney General on the possibility of out-of-court settlement.

Salimu said the Attorney General’s office was served with “three months notice of intention to sue government” for claims of K30 million for each of the accused which has elapsed.

The duo argues that the State had no evidence against them as indicated by the continued delays to commence trial.

“We are demanding compensation for false imprisonment,” said Salimu.

“We are proceeding with the suing,” he added.

Bottoman and Tembo were arrested in 2012 alongside eight others following the outcome of a Commission of Inquiry but for various reasons, trial has dragged.

The inquiry into the student’s death named 15, including former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional governor for the South, Noel Masangwi, boxing promoter Mike Chitenje and former and current Big Bullets Football Club supporters chairpersons Isaac Osman and Stone Mwamadi respectively.

Chasowa was found dead near the dispensary and finance blocks office at the Polytechnic campus on September 24 2011 under questionable circumstances.