AG wants July 20 claims settled out of court

Attorney General (AG) has opted for out-of-court settlement in all claims that were filed in courts relating to July 20, 2011 fatal shootings where police shot and killed unarmed demonstrators.

AG Kalekeni Kaphale in an interview on Wednesday said it was his office’s desire to settle all claims out of court which were filed within the three-year limitation period.

In a press statement published in Wednesday’s edition of The Nation, the AG informed the citizens that his office had received Executive authority to settle, through payment of monetary compensations, all claims arising from death or personal injuries lodged with it following the July 20 2011 riots.

On July 20, disgruntled Malawians took to the streets in all the three major cities of the country protesting against poor economic management and bad governance by the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

After the first two days of protests, 20 deaths and several body injuries were recorded.

The AG yesterday noted that during the riots, lethal force was regrettably used.

“The claims being settled are those that were lodged through the courts. The general public is, therefore, notified that if there are any claims already lodged with the courts over which settlement negotiations have not yet taken place, they must, through their lawyers, contact my office in writing…” reads the AG’s statement in part.

He emphasised that the invitation was only restricted to personal injuries and wrongful deaths claims lodged with the courts.