Blantyre City Council (BCC) rangers, who were in the company of police officers on Tuesday, beat up a man, identified as Robert Moyo, on suspicion that he wanted to wash cars.
The 31 years-old Moyo, who sells newspapers in the city, said he was arrested at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon as he helped a woman to load goods in her car.
“The city rangers beat me hard. I lost three teeth and a lot of blood before the police threw me in a cell at Blantyre Police.” he said.
Moyo said he was not allowed to go to the hospital let alone be released until Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) intervened.
BCC’s Public Relations Manager, Anthony Kasunda, while acknowledging the case, said Moyo attacked the city rangers first and that the rangers beat him in self defence.
He said Moyo was confronted by the city rangers for washing a car in the city and not illegal vending.
“It is illegal to wash cars in the city. He attacked the city rangers who wanted to confiscate his car-washing equipment and they beat him up in self defence,” he said.
Blantyre Police spokesperson, Elizabeth Divala, distanced the police from the act arguing that they only intervened after they were told by the rangers that Moyo had attacked them.
“But we later established that the city rangers used force and Moyo is a victim. We have recorded a statement from him as a complainant,” Divala said.
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