Hooliganism victim’s parents seek justice
He lies in a coma at Queens Elizabeth Central Hospital where his condition has been critical since Sunday when he was picked up by paramedics and brought to the emergency room.
As family and friends come to hold vigil, all they can do now is pray for his recovery.
There has been no word from Red Lions officials whose players started the fracas after beating up referee Boniface Chipinga soon after the match between the Malawi Defence Force side and Surestream on that fateful day.
Now the parents of 24- year old Geoffrey Mwale want justice to prevail so that the perpetrators get stiff punishment.
Geoffrey’s father, Senior Superintendent Stanley Mwale, said he expects Super League of Malawi and Football Association of Malawi to make sure Fifa rules and regulations apply to those responsible for the assault on his son.
“I raised my son in God fearing way. He does not drink or smoke. He is a quiet boy who never gets into trouble and I never expected this to happen to him.” he said.
Mwale said he was shocked that issues that happened at the stadium affected his son who was on his way home.
“My son was beaten up by three soldiers as he was waiting for a car to pick him up at the bus stage,” he said.
Red Lions were found guilty of contravening several Fifa statutes, but as we went to press, Super League of Malawi was yet to announce the punishment the soldiers would get.
“I am told that Sulom intends to give Red Lions a mere eight-game ban punishment,” he said.
“This is ridiculous. First, they beat up a referee and start beating up civilians in the streets. My son is in a coma and all they get is eight-game ban?”
Mwale however, said he was now concentrating on making sure his son recovers from the trauma.
“Even after recovering, he is going to live with permanent injuries to the brain. He will never be the same again,” he said.
Mwale was beaten up with iron bars and a brain MRI scan done by consultant radiologist, Dr Sam Kampondeni of College of Medicine, shows that among several injuries, Geoffrey has acute hematoma caused by trauma to the head.
“There is acute left temporal intra-cerebral hematoma 3.3cmx2.3cm, with surrounding edema, axonal injury and mild diffuse edema noted. No skull fracture, scalp hematomas are noted in parietal regions, there is brain swelling,” results of the scan reads.
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