Mtambo decries rise in mob justice

Minister of Civic Education and National Unity Timothy Mtambo has bemoaned an increase in mob justice in the country.

He said this on Wednesday at Kauma, Lilongwe during a sensitisation awareness meeting organised by the Malawi Police Service.

Mtambo cited recent cases in Chikwawa, Mzimba, Karonga, Nkhata Bay, Mangochi and Lilongwe as worrisome and a total disregard to the rule of law.

He said: “Malawians are known to be peace-loving people and this strange behaviour of taking the law into their own hands is unacceptable and has to  end because we might end up killing innocent people.”

Mtambo said his ministry has partnered with the police to sensitise the communities on the dangers of mob justice.

“We’re reminding people that we shouldn’t engage in mob justice since it is evil. And we should follow existing structures like the police where we feel somebody has committed a crime rather than resorting to mob justice,” he said.

On his part, Commissioner of Police Stan Kaliza, who represented the Inspector General of Police George Kainja, said the police will not tolerate anyone perpetrating the vice.

“As police we will not spare anybody engaging in this crime. Mob justice has implications as it destroys evidence and compromises investigations. 

“As of now, we’ve intensified our efforts to reach out to people on mob justice issues and we’ve just upped our game as we’ve partnered with the Ministry of Civic Education and National Unity,” he said.

Group village head Kauma admitted that recently his area had a mob justice incident.

He said: “Two people suspected of theft were caught. One was stoned to death while another was rescued by Lingadzi Police. I hope this trend will stop.”

The event was spiced up by a march, music from Malawi Police Orchestra Band, drama from Kauma Youth Initiative and Arts Theatre and a football match between Blue Eagles and Kauma Select which ended 3-0 in favour of Blue Eagles.