The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has joined different stakeholders who are demanding for justice for the Polytechnic student who was allegedly shot by the Malawi Police Service (MPS) and died days later at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre.
HRDC has also asked the Police to make arrests in a period of five days and threatening vigil if the demands are not adhered to.
The late Nyondo was allegedly shot by the Police at Kwacha Round about as he was suspected to be a robber as reported by the Malawi Police Service saying he was identified by the alleged victim of Nyondo.
According to a clarification report by Malawi Police signed by National police Spokesperson Superintendent James Kadadzera, Nyondo was shot by a guard belonging to Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) in self-defense after Nyondo attempted to snatch a gun from a police officer.
However the police refuted rumors that Nyondo was shot multiple times saying the guard who shot Nyondo used a pump gun to contained unarmed Nyondo whom they said was seeing his way into the Njamba Park.
It is however reported that Nyondo was going to church for overnight prayers in Manja at Fountain of Victory Church of Apostle Joseph Ziba.
In a press statement issued by HRDC made available to this publication, the Human Rights grouping has described the act by the police to feed the national a narrative that the late Nyondo was a suspect as “unbelievable, outright insensitive and incoherent”
“We have it on good authority that Nyondo was a victim of the alleged robbery and was seeking refuge in the MBC vehicle,” reads the statement.
HRDC further alleged that despite the claim by the Malawi Police that Nyondo was a robbery suspect, he was not arrested and was not under police guard instead he was just dumped throughout his admission at the hospital.
“The Malawi Police owe Malawians an explanation as to why it was possible that a suspect who had attempted to snatch a gun from a police officer was not placed under arrest and was just dumped at the hospital,” read part of the statement.
The coalition has therefore stressed that they will not sit down and watch Malawi Police Service militate against its own mandate to protect lives and property adding that the constitution of Malawi provides for the right to life in Section 16(1) and that such life should not be deprived.
HRDC has therefore asked the Malawi police to do its job by arresting and fully charge everyone who is involved in the shooting of Nyondo adding that a failure to do so ill attract vigil by Malawians at the Southern region headquarters.
