Say honeymoon over as 6 are shot, nabbed

Former police chief says decision justified

In a desperate attempt to curb rising crime, Malawi Police Service says its officers will be shooting on sight all resistant suspected criminals to either disable or even kill them depending on circumstances.

The warning comes against the background of the police shooting five of six people in Blantyre suspected to have been committing various robberies in some parts of the country.

The cornered suspects lie on the ground after the shooting

The six were cornered at the T-junction of Moi Street and Kasungu Crescent near Chichiri Shopping Centre purportedly following a tip-off that they were plotting to intercept a vehicle carrying cash for one of the commercial banks at the shopping centre.

National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya in an interview on Monday said the decision follows the growing waves of robberies and attacks across the country.

He said police are aware of the security lapse concerns in some parts of the country, particularly in cities and towns.

Kalaya said: “These [shootings] are a result of that decision and we have managed to arrest the suspected criminals. They have been shot in their legs and buttocks.

“As police, we will not hesitate to use force reasonably according to offences and the situation we encounter on the ground. Force depends on the resistance and Malawi laws allow us to shoot a person not only to injure, but even beyond injuring that person.”

Kalaya: We will not
hesitate to use force

Former Inspector General of Police Rodney Jose backed the cops on the use of firearms, saying the decision is backed by the law. He said police can use “reasonable force depending on the situation”.

He said: “So, the use of firearm depending on the situation police have encountered is justified even in our laws as long as the force is reasonable, justified and proportional to the threat they have encountered.

“The police management ought to be commended for the Blantyre incident because it shows that they are responding to the public outcry that there is insecurity in the country.”

The renewed declaration by police to use “reasonable force” is reminiscent of the “shoot-to-kill” order former president Bingu wa Mutharika issued in January 2011 amid growing crime.

However, the presidential directive received condemnation from human rights activists who argued that principles of natural justice presume every person innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.

When contacted on the police declaration on Monday, Malawi Human Rights Commission executive secretary Habiba Osman said the commission would only comment after getting full details on the shooting.

Meanwhile, police have identified the suspects shot and arrested on Monday in Blantyre as Peterson Ranken, 52, of M’gona Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Tengani in Nsanje, Oliver Maseko, 46, from Chamasowa Village, T/A Chimaliro in Thyolo but residing in Ndirande Township in Blantyre, Brian Eric Banda, 40, from Mwandimba Village, T/A Njewa in Lilongwe residing at Ngabu in Chikwawa, Richard Mzinga, 39, from Msandama Village, T/A Nsabwe in Thyolo, Petro Kambadi, 32, from Makonde Village, T/A Chimutu in Lilongwe and Martin Metson Phiri, 32, from Zazira Village, T/A Nkalo in Chiradzulu.

Kalaya said the six suspects are also linked to six other recent robberies reported in some parts of the country, including the Thyolo incident where they mounted a roadblock last week and posed as police officers. They robbed unsuspecting motorists about K5 million.

Other incidences include robberies at Tam-Tam Engen Service Station where about K2.6 million cash was stolen and Life Pharmacy robbery where they stole medical supplies and undisclosed amount of cash. Both incidents happened in Blantyre City.

Meanwhile, the suspects are in police custody after being treated as outpatients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre for the wounds sustained, according to Blantyre Police Station deputy public relations officer Aubrey Singanyama.

Closed circuit television footage and amatuer video clips taken using smartphones at the scene showed the suspects lying in a pool of blood. Their injuries, especially in the legs were conspicuous from the footage.

Police were seen bundling them into their vehicle.

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