The leadership of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has said police officers who fired teargas at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) during demonstration last week should be held accountable.

On Wednesday last week, HRDC targeted to deliver their petition requesting for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah at  Electoral Commissions Forum for Southern African Development Community (ECF-SADC) conference that took place at Mount Soche.

Suspected Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets disrupted the peaceful march by attacking leaders of HRDC an pelting stones at the demonstrators making it a failed mission to HRDC who failed to deliver the petition.

In order to calm the situation, Police started firing teargas at the protesters of which some went to seek refuge at QECH where the men in uniform did not hesitate but continued firing canisters of teargas at the hospital premises resulting into the death of under five child.

A pregnant woman was a victim of the teargas sprayed by the inconsiderate men in uniform.

The call to have police officers involved in the teargas saga to be arrested has been drafted in a petition delivered today at parliament building besides calling for Ansah’s resignation.