61 nabbed over Covid non-compliance
By Wezzie Gausi:
Malawi Police Service (MPS) operatives Monday arrested 61 people on suspicion that they defied Covid preventative measures.
Law enforcers announced on Friday that, effective July 17 this year, they would come hard on people who would not abide by Covid pre-emptive measures that include face-masking in public places, reduced passenger capacity on public transport and curfews.
MPS spokesperson James Kadadzera said the 61 have been arrested across the country.
“We, as police, will continue to enforce adherence to Covid measures. So far, 35 people have been arrested around the Lingazi area in Lilongwe, two have been arrested in Ntcheu District and 24 have been arrested in Chikwawa District,” Kadadzera said.
Meanwhile, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation Executive Director Michael Kaiyatsa has urged law enforcers to respect people’s rights in the course of enforcing Covid prevention measures.
“We do not want to see a repeat of the previous situation where police officers were harassing drivers and beating up pedestrians who were not wearing facemasks in market places, bus depots and on the street under the guise of enforcing Covid measures,” Kaiyatsa said.
