Lawyers representing Area 18 residents, who consumed water contaminated with sewage, have filed new summons at the High Court in Lilongwe against Lilongwe Water Board, Lilongwe City Council, and Malawi Housing Corporation.
Lawyers Forum for Human Rights Executive Director, Chancy Mwalubunju, yesterday said the new summons contain the actual names of victims totalling 1, 364.
The three institutions are being accused of supplying the residents of Area 18 with sewer-contaminated water.
“There has been a delay because Lilongwe Water Board, before responding to the summons, made an application in which they wanted names of all individual complainants suing them which are now 1, 364,” he said
The residents are demanding K4 million each as compe nsation.
Mwalubunju said the High Court is expected to rule on whether the institutions involved are liable for the damages.
“After that, if any institution is found liable, then we have asked the same court to make an assessment and come up with the nature of compensation to the victims,” he said
The lawyers first filed the summons on September 6 with an argument that the State failed its obligations to promote, protect, respect and fulfill enjoyment of various human rights, including right to health, of the affected people of Area 18.
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