Chanco girls to sue Malawi police over brutality- Rights campaigners

Gender and women activist Emma Kaliya has told parents of the girls brutalised by police on Tuesday to take the police to court to seek redress.

Kaliya’s comments come after a video clip was released on social media showing the police verbally and physically abusing the girls at the height of the Chancellor College student violent protests.

A police officer is seen slapping one of the girls.

“I urge the parents of the girls to sue the police, that was gross abuse of the girl students,” said Kaliya.

She said the police were very unprofessional, saying they would have contained the situation without abusing the girls.

Timothy Mtambo of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation concurred with Kaliya, saying the police used excess force when dealing with the protests.

“This means the police reforms are not working,” he said.

Inspector General of Police refused to comment on the matter and referred the issue to National Police headquarters spokesperson.

Deputy spokesperson for the police Tomeck Nyaude also refused to comment, saying he had not yet seen the video clip that has gone viral on social media.

Eastern region police headquarters spokesperson Joseph Sauka said the girls can lodge a complaint with the police Professional Standards Unit if it is true that they were abused.

Chancellor College Students Union president Ayuub Sylvester said the video clip shows just a portion of the brutality of the police.

Among others, he alleged the police set some hostels and college facilities on fire and threw tear gas in hostel rooms including those housing students with special needs, claims denied by Sauka as untrue.