Complaints against police mal-practices and human rights abuse have characterized the ongoing Legal and Justice Sector Reform Commission ( LJSRC ) sittings in various Lusaka townships.
In all the four locations where the Commission has so far held its sittings, complaints against police conduct, abuse of authority, corruption and ignorance of the law by police are common during the sessions, respectively.
Police officers and judicial officers especially judges and prosecutors have in most instances been reported to be the most corrupt in the justice system.
On the other had the Drug Enforcement Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Zambia Prison Service officers have been accused of being perpetrators of human rights abuse and mistreating suspects.
The Commission has so far conducted sittings at Lusaka’s Civic Centre, Chawama, Garden and Chilenje townships aimed at collecting views of the general public on how it wants the legal and justice sector to be reformed.
In all the townships, members of the public have complained of police corruption, intimidation and arrests of ‘ innocent’ people on flimsy charges without proper investigations which lead to courts failing to prosecute such cases for lack of evidence.
The conduct of officers in law enforcement agencies and the courts have attracted calls by the public to introduce cameras in these institutions to monitor their operations so that they do not abuse their authorities and officers when dealing with the accused.
Mr. Tomson Tembo, a retired Police Officer who was trained in 1975 has observed that corruption and ignorance in the application of the law by police of nowadays has reached alarming levels in Zambia.
Mr. Tembo stated that police officers deliberately misapply laws and violate people’s human rights without being questioned by anyone.
He has recommended to the commission that government should consider revising the training Programme for police officers especially in the area of criminal investigations saying the police currently rush to arrest suspects without conclusively investigating the matter for the cases to be tried in courts.
He revealed that even the police bond has been abused by police officers who use it as a fundraising venture as they request people who have been charged and ready to proceed to go to court to report back to the police once they are released on bond which he said should
not be the case.
He also noted that failure by police to investigate homicide cases has led to councils burying huge numbers of unclaimed bodies who could be claimed by relatives if the police had trained investigators.
The commission which is conducting public sittings in Lusaka district is remaining with Kabwata and Matero before it moves to Luangwa district in Lusaka Province.
Worse after Dr. Malama stepped aside having realised that the system did not appreciate professionalism. In chaos corruption flourishes. The finger points at the supervisor and appointing authority were the buck stops. If he is not aware, then he is not in charge and sleeping on duty.
I have great respect for the job of Police Officer, Serious reforms need to be done to bring back the respect the job deserves. Public safety and public order are supposed to be entrusted to Men and Women well deserving of the honor to be Police Man.
surely we need reform other wise police will be hated hell. killing them if chance allows because some are no good are to kill still and destroy for them to be reach. some buzy drinking on duty in pf are even worse
Excellent observation by Mr. Tembo. I wish more within the Police Service and more retired officers would come forward and speak truthfully in order to help the commission and the country become more efficient in police services. The police service has completely collapsed because of poor or lack of training. I can not imagine that an officer could be trained adequately in 6 to 9 months! Currently, officers come out of Lilayi with only the ability to handle a gun, speak poor English, aggression attitude and corrupt mind. No sense of Right and Wrong. No administrative skills, no ethical disposition and very often no self regard! And to make matters worse, the police service has no ability/structure for self checks and criticism.
I have strong doubts about the competency of the police these days in handling firearms. Just look at the way they carry the guns around! The Lilayi School needs complete overhaul.