LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The preliminary report of the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on the death of a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ (Luanar), Bunda College student, Prince Kamwaza has concluded that he died due to natural causes, and not police assault.
The Maravi Post has established that MHRC has been conducting an investigation into alleged police brutality when they moved in to quell a protest by students of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources over power failure earlier this month.
MHRC Executive Secretary David Nungu said the investigation shows no evidence that Kamwaza died following police beatings, as claimed by fellow students and relations.
“We have not established any evidence connecting the police to any form of assault of the student and again according to our findings, a medical report indicates that he did not die due to police assault,” Nungu said.
However, Prince’s father, Laston Kamwaza, has protested the results, insisting his son died due to police beatings.
Kamwaza said; “What I know is that I lost my son; he was arrested, some days later he was dead. To me I do not agree with the results MHRC has released.”
Bunda Students Union President Rainford Kainga said he needed more time to comment on the matter.
The deceased, Kawaza was admitted to hospital with an illness, shortly after he was released from police custody, raising speculation that his illness was linked to the assault that the police inflicted on the students that were arrested.
Earlier this month, Bunda College students went on a violent rampage in protest against power interruption and 46 students were arrested.
The power failure was initially thought to have been linked to nationwide reduced power supply but it was later learnt it was due to a faulty transformer.
Bunda College is temporarily closed after students were sent packing for destroying college and private property.
The MHRC is expected to release a final report on the alleged police brutality against the students in January 2018.
