Police ‘wrongly’ shoot student

The Polytechnic student Blessings Nyondo is battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (Qech) after he was allegedly shot at by a Police Mobile Service (PMS) officer under Blantyre Police Station during the night of December 31 2020.

According to one of his friends, Nyondo explained that he was on his way to a New Year Crossover Service when he, apparently, ran into a gang that was mugging a woman around Kwacha Round-about in Njamba area.

As such, he says, he ran away and, in the process, came across a Malawi Broadcasting Corporation vehicle which was guarded by two PMS officers.

Upon his arrival, the officers, suspecting that Nyondo was among the muggers, allegedly told him not to step into the car.

However, upon insisting that he was actually running away from the alleged muggers, the officers reportedly shot at him.

Meanwhile, a medical worker at Qech, who asked for anonymity, said an x-ray scan found about eight pellet bullets inside Nyondo’s chest and, at the moment, medical practitioners have only been able to remove four bullets that perforated his stomach.

“At the moment, medical practitioners have removed four bullet pellets that penetrated his stomach. However, he has three bullet pellets in his liver that have not been removed yet because it may lead to internal bleeding. Furthermore, one bullet pellet was found in Nyondo’s spinal code but we are waiting for the neurosurgical team to remove it,” the health worker said.

Nyondo’s father Getson Nyondo expressed dissatisfaction with the police service, alleging that, instead of providing protection to his son, PMS officers almost took away his son’s life.

“When I was informed that my son is currently at the hospital, I was disappointed. It is more disappointing that he was shot at by practitioners of a service that is supposed to protect the lives of Malawians. I hope justice prevails and the one that shot at my son, mistaking him for a thief, will face the law,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from PMS proved futile.

Nonetheless, Sub Inspector Zeleth Wakudyanaye of Soche Police said a police report was made by officers right after the incident.

Nyondo is a 23-year-old student who is pursuing an advanced diploma in computer engineering.