Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Judicial Strike Haunts LL Police Operations

Judicial Strike Haunts LL Police Operations


As Judiciary continues with strike across the country, Lilongwe Police Station says the development is failing police to perform their duties properly.

Lilongwe Police spokesperson Sub Inspector Kingsley Dandaula says police cells have been overcrowded by people waiting to get justice through courts and backlog of cases to handle by prosecution officers is multiplying each passing day.

He said in order to observe 48 hour rule and minimize situation of overcrowded cells, police are forced to grant bail those who committed minor offences. But he said this is not proper as it is sending a wrong perception among the members of general public to see a criminal walking out of police without being tried in court.

Sub Inspector Dandaula added that the situation has reduced number of people arrested during operations and that as Christmas and New Year festive season approaches it is likely that police will be limited in number of arrests because there is no place to keep the criminals. He however mentioned that Lilongwe Police is also trying to reduce overcrowding cells by taking some criminals to Maula Prison for remand.

On 10th November Malawi courts came to a standstill when Judiciary support staff downed their tools demanding government adjust their salaries corresponding to the rate that has been implemented for Civil Servants recently.

Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Goodall Gondwe on Sunday reiterated earlier statement made by Minister of Justice and Constitution Affairs Samuel Tembenu that government will not vow to demands as doing so would defeat the whole purpose of salary harmonization process being implemented because what happened in the Civil Service was salary restructuring exercise and not general increment.

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