Trigger happy forestry guard remanded to prison
A trigger happy forest guard who shot and killed a charcoal producer on Mulanje mountain, triggering destruction and looting at the forestry office, has been remanded to Mulanje prison.
Mulanje police spokesperson Gresham Ngwira said the 46 year old forest guard Masautso Gulani is suspected to have shot dead 52 year old Willie Douglas who had gone up Mulanje mountain to ferry trees for charcoal production.
This triggered violent riots leading to the destruction of the forest office in Mulanje and the looting of confisticated planks and other office equipment.
“We have not arrested anyone as regards to the destruction of the office because investigations are still going on,” said Ngwira.
The suspect is yet to be charged with either murder or manslaughter.
Mulanje district forestry officer Ulemu Chitenje said the office is still assessing the cort of the damage due to last week’s violent protests at the forestry office
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Very true ,why give a guard a rifle he can’t use,the story as presented is not complete. The department having assessed the situation at the forest found the need to arm the forest rangers,release the guard unless you say he used it at a socialfunction then you can detain him.
Why did the ranger have a gun? Was the ranger threatened? If the ranger carries a gun, do they not have a mandate to shoot it? If they do, what is the mandate? You cannot just arrive at the conclusion that the ranger was trigger happy without giving us the facts. For all I know, the rangers life could have been at risk. Please give more facts. It is sad that a life has been lost. Natural resources are being plundered. I am thinking of Chikangawa, Dzalanyama, Dedza Mountain, Zomba Plateu. These are all tragedies which need to be corrected.… Read more »