Angry mob sets court on fire, attack Malawi police officers: Two arrested
An angry mob in the township of Machinjiri on Wednesday burnt down South Lunzu Magistrates Court after mistakenly thought that some of the suspects that were tried at the court were responsible for the death of a businessman who, some weeks ago, was found dead with his face mutilated.
Currently, two people have since been arrested in connection to the incident and that two police officers were injured during the fracas in which official vehicles were damaged.
Blantyre police Public Relations Officer, Elizabeth Divala confirmed of the incident but could not divulge more details.
“I don’t have details now. But people should be warned that taking the law in their own hands is a crime. Our officers are currently on the issue; once all is done, I will have full details ready,” said Divala.
But information which Nyasa Times has sourced indicates that the incident happened after an angry mob mistakenly thought that some of the suspects that were brought to court by both Ndirande and Chileka police prosecutors were murder suspects.
Efforts by court authorities to reason with the mob seemed to have only eased the tension until the court sessions were over, when the angry mob at Luwanda trading centre regrouped.
The mob started stoning the court building, believing that the suspects they were after, were hidden in the court building.
The court building was maliciously damaged before it was set on fire.
Two of the police officers who rushed to the scene of the incident to calm the situation, Sergeant Moto of South Lunzu police unit sustained cut on forehead and back head, and Constable Masina of Ndirande police sub-station sustained injuries on the back after being hit with stones.
They were referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) for treatment.
Two police vehicles were also damaged during the fracas. The mob damaged a rear windscreen of a Toyota land cruiser registration MP 25 for Blantyre police station and a front windscreen of Toyota land cruiser pick-up registration MP 2347 for Ndirande police sub-station.
Meanwhile, the law-enforcers have arrested Henry Masina, 24, of Area 5 in the township and a 28-year-old Labson Magombo of Area 3 in the same township in connection to the fracas.
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From our own exprience, The police from any country around the world are always happy when chasing people and being chased by people. I saw the genesis part of the whole incident up to the revelation part and i can tell everything what happened on this day. It was a lonely day at my work shop wher by i saw a dark cloud moving after the Toyota land cruiser registration Mp 25 of Ndirande Police Unit. The dark cloud could shout, “eeh! eeh! apolisi tikupwetekani! apolisi tikupwetakani!,,, to be continued,,
FELEW MALAWIANS,IT PAINFUL SOMETIMED BUT,REMAMBER THERE IZ ROLE OF LAW
koma nde afikapo
So controversial
Ziwanda zinachuluka kwa luanda
Stupid people aaaaaah mwakhuta kachasu eti
Malawians need a shift of mentality, Protest does not have to be violent. Tomorrow when someone has to be tried in court it will take a while and you will complain yet you burnt down a whole court. Let us not destroy the already few resources that we have in the country. You cannot fight poverty by creating more poverty. You cannot fight crime with criminal behaviour. Burning a police station is not going to stop people from stealing. It will only encourage since the resource meant to counteract it has been destroyed. If we want to develop we need… Read more »
Ziwanda zachuluka, anaponda ndi mapazi satana ku machinjiri
Ngati anawatengera ku khoti sindiye ponyadilapo kuti chilunamo chiwoneke? Umbuli @ its best
Mahope anga mukuwalatu.