The Blantyre Magistrate’s Court in Blantyre, handling a case as a coroner of an inquest, has ordered criminal investigation of some police officers at Blantyre Police Station for manslaughter.

Jonathan Kaiya, arrested for suspected theft of a motor vehicle, was shot dead by the police on January 10 2017, according to the ruling delivered yesterday by senior resident magistrate Akya Mwanyongo.

Presided over the
matter: Kayira

The amgistrate, delivering the ruling on behalf of High Court judge Jean Kayira who was chief resident magistrate when she heard the matter, said the court found evidence that the officers from Blantyre Police Station went to collect Kaiya at night from South Lunzu Police Station.

The evidence also pointed to the fact that the suspect was wrongfully shot at by the police, leading to his death.

In April 2016, the court learnt that Kaiya was arrested for allegedly stealing the motor vehicle at a car dealer demonstration unit.

He escaped from police custody at Soche Police Unit and was a fugitive until January 9 2017 when he was arrested by the South Lunzu Police.

According to the ruling, police alleged that Kaiya while handcuffed, shot one of the officers, but the court observed no evidence was brought under the inquest to prove this.

“The police also failed to bring to court a vehicle they had alleged Jonathan Kaiya had stolen and the deceased medical and mortuary records were missing, indicating a systematic attempt to cover up the matter,” Mwanyongo observed.

The coroner ordered criminal investigations for the concerned police officers for manslaughter.

Private practice lawyer Tamando Chokotho joined the case as a friend of the court, representing the family of the deceased while the State was initially represented by Director of Public Prosecutions Steve Kayuni and later a State lawyer Pirirani Masanjala

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