LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Television Islam reporter Aspolo Mousah has recounted a traumatic experience after he was assaulted while carrying out his professional duties at a court in Lilongwe on Monday, raising fresh concerns about the safety of journalists in Malawi.
Mousah said the incident occurred while he was covering a court case involving a politicians for his media institution.
Tension was already high at the court premises when a fellow journalist warned him to remove his media jacket and hide his camera after noticing growing hostility from MCP cadets in the area.
Shortly after the warning, the situation turned violent. Mousah witnessed party cadets assaulting two journalists from a well-known media house, forcing them to run into the court building to seek safety.
Fearing that he could be the next target, he decided to leave the area for his own protection.
As he tried to walk away, Mousah was confronted by three men who attacked him and briefly took his bag.
The assault quickly escalated as more people joined in, beating him mercilessly.
He says the attack was frightening and left him fearing for his life.
Police officers on duty intervened in time and rescued him from the mob.
The officers managed to recover his bag and escorted him to safety.
Mousah believes that without the swift intervention of the police, the situation could have turned fatal.
After the ordeal, he struggled to make his way home, physically injured and emotionally shaken.
His trousers were torn and he says he looked like someone who had been accused of stealing a transformer.
Overwhelmed by pain and trauma, he broke down in tears upon reaching home.
By the time of filing this report, police had not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
The attack has sparked renewed concern among media practitioners and press freedom advocates, who continue to call for stronger protection of journalists, especially when covering sensitive and politically charged court cases.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers journalists face in the line of duty and the urgent need to safeguard media freedom in Malawi.