Delayed justice for July 20 killings ‘worrying sign’ on Malawi rights record
Justice delayed is Justice denied – it is a vital and long-held tenet of the legal system. Human rights campaigners have said the delay on cases of Malawi police officers who were responsible for the 20 deaths and several injuries during July 20, 2011 mass demonstrations calling for an end to president Bingu wa Mutharika’s increasingly repressive and authoritarian policies is a. a “worrying sign.”
The Commission of Inquiry which investigated the killings recommended that the government must ensure that ‘police officers who were responsible for the deaths and injuries are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted where unlawful conduct is established’. Victims should also be compensated.
But there has been delayed delivery of justice on the matter and mostly shielding of culprits attracting criticism from Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo, saying government has shown no respect to the sanctity of human life.
In the July 2o killings prosecutions, nine police officers, including Ian Kanyama, son of the current police Inspector General Paul Kanyama, were interdicted, subsequently arrested and charged with various crimes, including murder.
The other officers are sub-inspector Kamwala of Lumbadzi Police Station, sergeant Makokezi of B Company, constable Lobo of Kawale Police Station, Lemekezo Mikuti, Kelvin Nyirenda, Benedicto Dzombe, Paul Mussa, Mahomed Kulusinje all from Ndirande Police Station.
The Malawi Human Rights Commission, in its recent state of human rights report, warned that delayed justice or the tragic events of July 20th 2011 was reflecting negatively on the State’s willingness to uphold human rights and rule of law.
Apart from prosecution, the Commission recommended for changes to the police service.
It called on the government to ‘make sure that the police is equipped with sufficient non-lethal weapons and appropriate equipment for effective control of riots’ and that more officers are recruited.
And to develop a comprehensive policy and operational guidelines in connection with crowd control and, specifically, on the use of firearms – including better training, which should also cover issues of human rights, negotiation skills and basic first aid skills.
Magna Carta, which means ‘The Great Charter’, is one of the most important documents in history as it established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the king, and guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial.
shop yanga inathyoledwa ndi anthu akuba tsiku limeneli mtauni, kodi inu a cso mundithandiza bwanji. ambiri amene anaphedwa zinali zigawenga zokuba. zionesero zimakhuzana bwanji ndi kuthyola ma shop? tandiyankhe iwe Mtambo
All of dem were thieves apart from a builder who was shot as he was working.
Bingu was a thief, but has stadium named after him!
Why do you think people celebrated when they heard he has died?
IWE FOTSEKI, PAPITA MOYO WAMUNTHU SIPAFUNIKA KULANKHULA MOSEFUKILA. ILI NDI DZIKO, ADALIKO ANZAKO OSALABADA ZA MOYO WAMUNTHU LERO ADALOWA MMABUKU A HISTORY.
this arm of government is worrisome
You can fool some people sometime, but you cannot run away from yourself.
Anthu awa ndi a chinyengo kwambiri,koma sitikutaya ntima poti alipo oweluza olungama ndipo the Muthalika’s adzaweluzidwa chifukwa chopondeleza ndi kubela a Malawi. Ndalama ndi mphanvu zopeza mwachinyengo sizidzawapulumutsa kapena kuwateteza zimenezi zichitika
The people who were killed on 20th July,were those who were breaking into shops.The other survivors who should have been killed were timothy Mtambo and his friend who repented for wrong doing. You know who.That is why Mulli was compensated.The administration of Joice did not compensate them because she knew there was no reason for doing so.Why should this administration compensate them.you are very stupid mr mtambo.If you want politics why cant you join it.Why are you doing politics behind the scene. You mean to say killing thieves is human violation.Fotseki.
Zimachitaku ndi zimenezitu ngati munthu wa mulandu wakupha wapatsidwa bail,amapita kwa ng’anga kukapeza mankhwala achikuda mulandu nkuiwalika
Kuzisaka ma cso trying to get this and that so that you can gain momentum. I am surprised that non of you who organized the demos did not die or injured as the July 20. If one of you was part of the 20 I would have said that the killing was violating the rights but these people were busy looting shops instead of walking in the streets. Was the steeling part of the demo.
Recall what happened on that day. It was very obvious the government was not willing for demos. “we will meet in the street” said Bingu. Cadets brandishing pangas right up on the eve of demos. The police were already in “shoot to kill” mood as instructed previously. The government organised a meaningless lecture on that day. During the lecture there was a gap when the president was being briefed on the demos.