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The family of late Lucius Kamanga who was shot by police officers on May 24 in the violence after elections has complained that government has sidelined it in compensation.
But government says it is not aware the family’s predicament.
Wife to late Kamanga, Margaret, in an interview complained that she was shocked to learn from the press that government wants to compensate families of 10 year old Epiphania Bonjesi, another post elections violence victim and Fanikizo Phiri only.
The press recently said government opted for an out of court settlement for the cases of Epiphania and Fanikiso who died at police hands, adding the Bonjesi family will get K300,000 while the Phiri family will receive K1.5 million from the Attorney General.
Attorney General Ralph Kasambara in an interview on Wednesday said he is not aware of the complaints of the Kamanga family.
According to the widow, who is taking care of five children, the oldest being 10 and the youngest 2, her husband met his fate when he was heading for business in town on May 24.
“My husband was shot on the chest by two police officers travelling in former MP Elwin Maluwa vehicle. He had nothing to do with the violence. They left him in cold blood. It was sympathisers who took his body to Maluwa’s house but they didn’t find him. Angry people then set his house and cars ablaze after noticing that he had ran away,” she explained.
Kamanga said she is struggling to feed her family.
“Sometimes my family goes to bed on empty stomach. I don’t have anything to give them,” she said.
A death report signed by DR.C.M. Nyirenda, Chief Consultant Physician of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital on May 24 shows that the deceased was taken to the hospital dead and also that he had two gun shots in the chest and head with severe bleeding.
Kamanga said: “A month after the death of my husband Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Malawi Watch and Civil Liberties Committee (Cilic) visited me but up to now there is nothing happening. And I do not know when they will help me”.
But Cilic project coordinator Frank Zoto said his organisation and the other two complied a report of the matter which is to be presented to a private law firm with an intention to suing government.
He did not say when the firm will be taking up the matter.
Statements of the claims for Epiphania sought damages “for loss of dependency, loss of expectation of life and costs in respect of death.
Fanikiso, 24, a third year Chancellor College student was shot by police on December 11, 2002 when he took part in a demonstration against hiked maize prices.
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