The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) has faulted the Malawi Police Service (MPS) for applying tough measures on people who are not adhering to Covid-19 guidelines.

Since the Ministry of Homeland Security announced that it will involve the police to enforce Covid-19 precautionary measures, reports have that the law enforcers have been beating people found on the streets without wearing face masks.

In a statement signed by CHRR executive director Michael Kaiyatsa, the human rights grouping has observed that on Tuesday and today some officers harassed drivers and beat up pedestrians for not wearing masks.

The statement observes that use of violence by police will not yield any results but rather there is need for cooperation between law enforcers and the community.

The statement adds that use of excessive force and human rights violations by police will not be tolerated. CHRR has urged Minister of Homeland Security to ask the officers to refrain from the alleged violations.

Today, in the cites of Lilongwe and Blantyre, Armed police officers were seen moving around ensuring that everyone is following the precautionary measures to halt the spread of the virus.

In Lilongwe, police officers were beating up every person found loitering on the streets without putting on a face mask.

So far Malawi has registered over 9000 cases of Coronavirus since its first in April last year, and over 6000 people have recovered from the virus with 200 plus people succumbed to the pandemic.