The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) says the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has agreed to settle an out-of-court settlement to compensate the family of Blessings Nyondo who was shot by an MBC guard on December 31, 2020.

MHRC Spokesperson Kate Kujaliwa has confirmed the development saying that MBC will settle the full agreed compensation by March 2022.

Meanwhile, Kujaliwa has refused to disclose the amount.

MBC Director General George Kasakula says they decided to sort the issue out of court as a way of obeying the law and respecting human rights.

Nyondo was until his death a Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) student formerly known as the Polytechnic.

On 4 January 2021, Malawi Police Service released a statement saying that the younger Nyondo was a suspect in a robbery that happened on New Year’s Eve, pointing out that he was shot by a Malawi Broadcasting Corporation security guard at Njamba in Blantyre after a scuffle with the guard and a Police Mobile Service officer.

However, the family insisted that the deceased was on his way to a religious crossover service but was shot using a pump gun with pellet bullets for being mistaken as a mugger.