Some media outlets are reporting that the Malawi Police Service (MPS) have cleared Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya of not being in the wrong in the recent road accident which claimed the life of the cyclist.
The Maravi Post has failed in its efforts to reach out to the Malawi Police, inquiries to info@police.gov.mw remain un-answered. The Contact forms on the newly minted police website https://police.gov.mw go un-answered as well. So we are not willing to just simply give the Speaker who was driving himself without his driver a pass.
Speaker Msowoya who was driving hit and killed cyclist identified as Raphael Chinowe. Mr Raphael Chinowe is dead and therefore we assume the Malawi Police did not take a statement from him. At the moment it is Richard Msowoya’s word against a dead man.
It is therefore imperative that until we hear from any eye witness, no one should be jumping the gun and exonerate Msowoya. The Malawi Police need to start taking their responsibilities seriously
Because of Richard Msowoya’s position in Malawi as Speaker of the house, this investigation needs to be open to the public. How fast was the Speaker driving? how close was the Speaker following the bicyclist? These are just a few questions that need to be resolved before we say the Speaker has been cleared.
In an interview with one of the local daily paper, Central region Police Spokesperson Ramsy Mushani said Msowoya committed no criminal offence as the police are treating the incident only as fatal accident. Show Malawians the evidence that has cleared the Speaker.
“Mr Msowoya was already very close when the cyclist suddenly changed direction to cross the road and he ended up hitting him as there was nothing he could. The cyclist died on the spot due to head injuries,” said Mushani.
Mushani also trashed social media speculations that Msowoya ran after hitting the cyclist, saying he reported the incident to Kasungu Police Station within 24 hours as required. So apparently the Speaker did leave a dying man on the road to get his facts straight?
There is not enough information to clear Speaker Msowoya at the moment should be the response from the Malawi Police, saying otherwise would be Dereliction of duty.
