Malawi Police, mob clash in Lilongwe over vigilante justice
Running battles ensued between police and angry residents of Lilongwe Area 23 over a burglary suspect who the mob wanted to be torched but law enforces used tear gas to prevent the vigilante justice
The mob caught a suspect who had broke into a house and wanted to steal.
But Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. The mob nonetheless reorganized and armed with stones attempted to torch down the Area 23 Police Unit.
Area 23 popularly known as Thanki is one of the volatile places in the Capital City of Lilongwe.
During the July 20, 2011, demonstrations, the residents burnt into ashes the Police Unit which is currently under heavy security reinforcement.
Police managed to rescue a suspect from the mob and charges are waiting on his head of theft and burglary as well as causing a commotion with the general public.
Kingsly Dandaula, Lilongwe Police Deputy Publicist told Nyasa Times: “Yes it’s true that as you can see the residents wants to conduct a mob justice on the suspect but laws of Malawi are clear that mob justice is not allowed. Everybody should go through conventional courts and not people taking the law into their own hands.”
Meanwhile, Police have arrested more than ten people following the fracas, Dandaula confirmed to Nyasa Times.
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