By Burnett Munthali
According to the late Jelemaya Maluwa’s wife, Maliam Saidi, the tragic incident took place on Monday at Chipoka, a town in Salima District, as the deceased was traveling from his home to Golomoti.
The wife of the late Maluwa explained that the altercation between her husband and the police officer began the previous week when the officer allegedly took bribe money to allow the deceased to cross the border at Chipoka with some goods.
“My husband used to pay money regularly for safe passage, but last week, the police officer who shot him demanded an additional bribe,” said Maluwa’s wife.
Italeaf Lungu, a spokesperson for the Rastafarian faith, expressed his shock and dismay over the incident, claiming that police officers have been unfairly targeting Rastafarians.
Lungu further noted that on the day of the shooting, Maluwa was not carrying any illicit substances, which makes the situation even more puzzling and troubling.
Peter Kalaya, a police spokesperson, could not be reached for comment at the time of writing, as his phone was unanswered.
Jelemaya Maluwa, who hailed from the village of Daniel, a prominent figure in the Maganga area, left behind a wife and nine children.
This incident has raised serious concerns regarding police conduct and the treatment of Rastafarians, calling for an investigation into the actions of the Salima police officer involved.
