MHRC investigating Malawi Police for shooting boy, 14

Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has said it is collecting “relevant facts” lin its investigations into alleged shooting of an unarmed 14-year old student by Chatoloma Police in Kasungu district.

MHRC director of civil and political rights, Peter Chisi, said the commission is investigating and incident where Humphreys Jere Junior, a student of Mbapapi Private Secondary School in Kasungu was shot on the night of November 25 2016.

The victim is currently battling for his life at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe where he was referred to from Kasungu District Hospital.

Chisi said the victim’s family submitted to the tax-funded constitutional body its report on an account of what happened.

Kasungu District Hospital informed MHRC in its medical report that the victim sustained a deep wound on the right lumber region with visible bowel complications.

Humphreys Junior, who is in Form One at the school said he was shot when students  were protesting against the decision by school management to give them cabbage for supper.

He said some students  rioted by pelting  stones at hostels, hall and teachers’ houses.

Police was called and they fired gun shot.

The boy said he was  hiding by the corner he  felt something piercing into his stomach after another gunshot was heard.

“I immediately ran to the police officer who fired the bullet and told him what he had done. He took me to his fellow cops where he confessed to have shot me,” the boy said.

National Police public relations officer James Kadadzera refused to comment on whether their officers had used live bullets against the unarmed students.