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AG cautions on July 20 deaths blame game

The country’s Attorney General (AG) Anthony Kamanga has called on relations of those who were killed during the July 20 2011 demonstrations to stop blaming police for the deaths before such matters are settled.

Relations of 10 people, who were killed in the demonstrations in Mzuzu, wrote Inspector General (IG) of Police Loti Dzonzi on March 20 through lawyer George Kadzipatike demanding K3 billion as compensation for the deaths.

This followed the release of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) by the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), which also blamed the police for the deaths.

The families gave police a three-month ultimatum to meet their demand.

20-july-2011The letter argued that police are not allowed to shoot to kill, but rather shoot to disable only in cases where a person is escaping from lawful custody, a person is rescuing or attempting to rescue another person from lawful custody and where a person is preventing or attempting to prevent the arrest of themselves or another person and the cases did not apply in the shooting of the 10.

“The basis of our clients’ demand are the provisions of sections 3 and 4 of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act which provide that where a person be it natural or legal person, including the government has wrongfully caused the death of another person, the relations of the deceased person are entitled to claim damages from the person who has caused wrongful deaths,” reads the letter signed by Kadzipatike.

However, Kamanga in an interview yesterday said the families have to stop being judgmental before the issue of the shooting is resolved.

He said the police have to be heard before any claims are made.

“I was not there during the shooting, the lawyer was not there and even the family could also not have been present. So, we will have to ask the police to hear their side of the story,” said Kamanga.

The AG also questioned the criteria the families used to assess compensation.20-july-2011

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