Death of NRC student: Court convicts Malawi Police officer, acquits 2 cops
The High Court in Mzuzu has acquitted two police officers and convicted a third – all from Mzuzu Police Station – in connection to the mysterious circumstances that surrounded the death of a Natural Resources College (NRC) student, Edwin Msiska, who died in police custody in 2012.
Police officers George Kamphe and Lucius Mpakeni were acquitted while Victor Nsolomo was convicted.
Edson Msiska was arrested for allegedly being found in possession of stolen property during the morning of 25th January, 2012 and was locked up at Mzuzu Police Station. He died on January, 29, 2012 in custody as police were arranging transportation to take him to the hospital.
A postmortem report from Mzuzu Central Hospital revealed Msiska was assaulted while in police custody, and that the cause of death was severe assault/trauma.
At the beginning of the trial, the suspects were charged with the offence of murder but by close of prosecution, the court found that there was not enough evidence to let Kamphe and Mpakeni answer a murder case. Instead, the two were charged with manslaughter.
Mzuzu High Court Judge Dingiswayo Madise told a visibly jam packed court that the state failed to find sufficient evidence, beyond any reasonable doubt, to implicate Kamphe and Mpakeni.
“I know how much pain the family of the deceased has gone through, I can feel their pain. However, to convict innocent people in an attempt to console the family and succumb to demands by the public that punishment be meted out regardless of the dictates of law and evidence will be great injustice,” said Madise.
He further said that evidence tendered pointed to Victor Nsolomo as the one who caused the unlawful death of Msiska.
The deceased also mentioned him twice to two different people on two separate occasions, witnesses said. There was only one Victor at the CID offices at the material time.
Madise explained that the family of the deceased is perfectly entitled to sue for wrongful death and negligence in a civil court, citing total negligence by the Malawi Police Service.
Had the deceased been taken to the hospital earlier, Madise argued, Msiska could have been saved.
Defence lawyer Christone Ghambi said he was happy that the law had taken its course but was quick to say that they will consult with the family of the convicted to map way forward.
Sentencing for Victor Nsolomo will be delivered in the same court in 21 days.
Chief State advocate Dzikondianthu Malunda said the State will request the court to give a stiffer sentence to Nsoloma.
Msiska’s relation, Ester Lupafya, said the family will decide whether to sue government after Nsoloma has been sentenced.- Additional reporting by Pius Nyondo, Nyasa Times.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Ndangogwira pakamwa ine, Dziko la Malawi lopanda Ntendere.
nanga mumati ku south africa nkhaza, nanga uku ndi ku south africa, shame on police
Bad news
This is what happens when you employ dull policemen.Interrogation means intimidation to them.Who were working during the shift when this guy was ruthlessly beaten by these dullards?Do you know its common in Malawi working while drunk on cheap sachets and some even high on weed while using police vehicles.Are police supposed to be using police vehicles in drinking premises during working hours?
This is what is happening when STATE police abusing power to Malawian citizens and on other hand STATE police are violating SUPREME LAW which is CONSTITUTION
Uzionela iwe ndithu you will be jailed brother after 21 days
CHAONA MZAKO CHAPITA BWANAWE chatsala KWA IWE wa police bad move
zonse zimachitika kusowa chikondi amalawi tiyeni tikondane monga nationality yanthu tikuziwikila chimavesa chisoni apolice omweso ali mbali ya boma kumapanga zinthu zankhaza nanga anthu apanga bwanji mukubwelesa mavuto ndinu ndima nyakanyaka anuo nyokonyoko
I wonder why we dont have such brutal acts from MDF koma apolice. Last year munapha msitikali kuzomba. Boma lamalawi limakuikilani kumsana kwambiri, koma one day mudzasiya,mudzayamba kugwira ntchito zanu moyenelera.
Mulungu azikukhululukirani,
Indeed, apolisi ndi zitsiru. The problem is that the Government recruits officers into the noble profession those who are intellectually deficient, stupid and imbeciles. Even if it was following the adage that says: If you want to catch a thief send a thief, ku Malawi kuno zanyanyira. Ndiye tikalemba pano kuti a polisi mukuwonjeza misbehaving wina adzindiwopsyeza ndikakumana naye. Some of us were born to call a spade by its name.
Anayenera kumangidwa wonse.
The Fearless Samurai (Jwampiriu)- Wa Kongeresi.
apolisi athu ndi agalu. zomwe amadziwa ndi rape ndi murder. kutereku akonzeka kuti amuphe Joyce Banda akamabwera next week
Simumati police yasintha nanga pali kusintha apa?
amangeni apolisiwo akuwonjeza kwambiri
Victor wachita nkhanza kwa anthu ambiri.Uyisova and panopo wasaukirathu akungokhalira masachete.wuyisovenge.
Za Msiska zatha nanga za Robert Chasowa zili pati? May their souls rest in peace.
anamumenya si apolice ndi anthu a mu msika
apolice amenewo amayenera life punishment kapena kuphedwa.why beating aperson while in custody it shows apolice ndi anthu ankhanza kwambiri zedi.zindikikirani kuti mukukhala ndiife mumapoloti and one day we will chase u and beat u
A court ndi a police pa nkhani iyi, chilungamo chakutalikirani. Enafe takhala tikutsatira nkhaniyi kuchokera pa chiyambi. Muziopa Mulungu osati abwana anu
I urge all of you our friends in Mzuzu, if you personally know these beasts and you see them walking in the streets of Mzuzu, pounce on them and leave them for the dead. This picture instils anger in me. Burn them b’coz the courts alibe chilungamo.
You cnat trust Malawian courts. The bets way is to deal with police ourselves!
God knows the truth. You will be judged accordingly. Mbuli za JC.
sha iwo apolice kugwilira kuba ndani saziwa zomwe amapanga osawasiya amenewo ngati pa thyolo police anapha nyozani chisoni wa mmuzi wa mapondo kwa chimaliro chilungamo sichinaoneke apa asasiyidwe alangidwe ndizowawa kwa makolo omuphunzisawo
Izinso zachitika ku Police ya ku Area 36 amene anamangidwa 16th may. Kumenyedwa ndikuvulazidwa komanso kuzembetsedwa ngati wakuba koma chifukwa chosagwirizana nkhani ya malo. Mnzake wa omenyedwayo akuti ati ali ndi anzake a police. Mnkazi wa omangidwayo anamenyedwanso chifukwa chofunsa phone yomwe wa police anatenga. Zimafunika kuti inu a Nyasa mufufunze pakuti anachodwa pa 17th kupita ku Area 3 mozemba achibale osadziwa ngakhale Lawyer wake.
Postmortem founds he died due to assault so you’re saying they did not kill him!only in God there is justice.
the court shld gv zem a severe punishment,,,,,, akumajaila heavy and those people are the one hu kno ua constitutional better zan us
Palibe umboni? ndi a police omwewo anampweteka. Ok tithana nawo tokha athawa kuno. Komanso nyasatimes tell the people zoona, zobedwazo zinali za brother wake anamusungitsa koma iyeyo sanadziwe kuti pali katundu wobedwa.
Anthu adziwe bwinobwino kuchitila pa mawa. A police knew kuti ndi brother wake koma they killed him. Analephela kuwauza kuti sanalui wake koma brother wamusungitsa koma sanamumvere.
Tithana nawo tokha a police wa dikilani mumva.
RIP