British High Commission calls for thorough investigations following reports of police brutality.

Report by Gloria Masanza. 

The British high commission has called for thorough investigations and appropriate action, following increased reports of police brutality in the country.

At least two cases have been reported in the past week alone, one of them involving a local journalist.

One of the scribes, Emmanuel Chibwana, who works with the privately owned Zodiak broadcasting station-ZBS, was allegedly physically assaulted and heavily wounded by officers at Chilomoni Police station in the city of Blantyre, after an argument at a drinking joint.

Chibwana is alleged to have questioned the police’s intention of arresting people wearing camouflaged clothes, instead of arresting the sellers.

His comments are alleged to have angered the police who had gone to the drinking joint, in search of people wearing camouflaged clothes.

The officers then pounced on Chibwana and started assaulting him, in the face, with a broken bottle.

According to Chibwana, who is currently recuperating at his place in Chilomoni in Blantyre, the police officers dragged him to Chilomoni police unit, where they left him bleeding for two hours, before dumping him at Queen Elizabeth Central hospital.

Meanwhile, police have said they had charged him with obstructing the work of the police.

He was later given bail.

Another incident of police brutality, happened at Chilobwe police station, also in Blantyre city, where officers allegedly allowed a complainant, to enter a police cell and beat up a suspect in their custody.

The developments have attracted heavy criticism from the general public and human rights organisations, who have accused the police of refusing to adapt to change and respect human rights.

Commenting on the conduct of the police, spokesperson for the British high commissioner to Malawi, Wendy Freeman, whose government funded a police reform programme, said any misconduct by the law enforcers, needs to be established, and those involved must be prosecuted.

Freeman explained that although her government no longer finance the police reform programme, it expects high levels of professionalism and integrity from the law enforces, when handling suspects.

The British government however still supports the Malawi police service, through UNICEF, which funds the construction and operations of victim support units across the country.

She said the recent developments have the potential to taint the image of the police.

According to the British official, in 2005 the afro barometer showed that public confidence in the Malawi police had increased from 41% in 1999 to 64% in 2004. 

Significant progress was also reported in reforming the criminal justice system.

She cited the development and implementation of a rapid response system, 997, in the capital Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Blantyre, Limbe and Zomba.

Among other achievements, Freeman added that new model stations now provide separate accommodation, for juveniles and women.

From 2002 to 2006 Britain provided support for police reform under the Malawi safety, security and access to justice [MASAJ] programme.

The programme focused on institutional reform, community policing, training of police officers on human rights and improved investigation work.