Tag Archives: leader Peoples Land Organisation (PLO) Vincent Wandale

Law and order, Politics

Vincent Wandale sues Malawi Govt over forced medication

MaraviPost

 

ZOMBA-(MaraviPost)-Self-acclaimed leader of People’s Land Organisation, Vincent Wandale, has dragged the government to court for forcing him to take medication at a psychiatric hospital as well as constructively dismissing him from the civil service.

Wandale’s lawyer, Oscar Taulo said they have logged the two complaints at the Constitutional and Labour Relations courts.

“On the first count, which is in the Constitutional Court, we want it [the court] to interpret whether it is right to take somebody to the hospital for a forced medical treatment,” he said.

In November last year, Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Chiotcha made a ruling after examining Wandale’s medical report by a psychiatrist at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) that Wandale was not fit to stand trial and ordered him to go to Zomba Mental Hospital for treatment.

On the other count, Taulo said Wandale was suspended and has never been paid since then.

“There was a time Mr Wandale was an employee of the government. He got suspended and he has not been paid anything to date. To us, we feel it is constructive dismissal,” he said.

Meanwhile, registrar of the court who doubles as the spokesperson of the Judiciary, Agnes Patemba, said she was not aware of the summons.

“Ask me tomorrow (Monday), I should be able to get that [details of the case] when I get to the office,” she told the Sunday Times.

Wandale, an interdicted civil servant, has been fighting for land rights for years and declared the independence of Mulanje and Thyolo over what he called the government’s failure to address the land challenges that people in the two tea growing districts are facing.

Health, Human Rights, Malawi

Vincent Wandale still mentally ill-Doctors

Maravi Post Reporter

Zomba Mental Hospital doctors who are treating the leader Peoples Land Organisation (PLO), Vincent Wandale have recommended that Wandale should stay at hospital for so long period of time saying he is still mentally ill and that the treatment that has been put on him need to be taken long term for their effects to be shown

The doctors said this a medical report submitted to Malawi Police Service and High Court in Zomba where he is facing charges of publication of false statements likely to cause fear and alarm to the public.

Reads part of the report “Mr Wandale’s lack of insight reduces the risk of complying with medications as an outpatient on eventual discharge. He would benefit from depot antipsychotics that can be administered monthly without the need for oral medications,” the reports reads in part.

The Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court had ordered Wandale to undergo psychiatry evaluation then treatment if he was found to be mentally unstable before undergoing trial.

The hospital is expected to produce a report every 30 days to be submitted to the High Court detailing how Wandale is responding to treatment.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Joshua Malango confirmed the report and that it has also included an incident recently in which Wandale attempted to injure a nurse with a razor blade.

“He showed no remorse and felt justified to do so,” the report said.
In 2016 Wandale declared Thyolo and Mulanje an independent state calling it the ‘United States of Mulanje and Thyolo’ and launched land grab exercise.