Kabwe Magistrate Sebastian Mwenya has acquitted a police officer of rape following the complainant’s failure to attend court sessions during the trial.
Mr Mwenya said he was throwing out the case and acquitting Joseph Lungu the accused as the complainant had failed to be in court.This is in a case where Joseph Lungu a police officer has been charged with one count of rape after he allegedly raped a woman who was in custody.
Particulars of the offence are that Lungu on February 12, 2015 in Kabwe raped a woman who was at the time in custody at Kasanda Police Station.
During trail the state brought in two witnesses one of them was Jonathan Mumba a cop who was on duty with the accused when the rape allegedly occurred .In his testimony he told the court that on February 12,2015 he reported for work around 24:00 hours for the night shift at the police station with his colleague Lungu.Mumba said that he was handed over the keys to the cells where there were three people in custody, two men and one woman in the juvenile cell.
He told the court that whist on duty he left the reception and went on patrol for about 30 minutes leaving Lungu in charge of the people in custody.
Mumba said he and Lungu patrolled the station till 08:00 hours when their shift ended and they left for their respective homes.
However the case could not continue as the compliant failed to show up at court and during the court case and prosecution agreed that the court cannot continue adjourning the case.
The investigating officer Mui Mui told court that he had challenges in bringing the complainant to court as she was nowhere to be found.
Police and You! They never cease to make headlines! last time it was that cop who failed to swallow cash which was corruptly obtained! Unfortunately, him was convicted!
Unclear… When did the rape take place? In 30min or after leaving for home.
Bana nyenga bonse ba mambala, it is very common for the cops to rape those women. They first solicit for money and if the women do not have, the payment is nyengani. Manje Lungu is a free man and he is most likely going to rape more women. The victim must have been intimidated hence she went into hiding.
Icisungu ububi ba lt. muleikalafye
These Lungus are up to no good ka. From top to bottom.
There is something wrong here, the all team had connived so there friend could be acquitted. This lady was in custody meaning she had committed an offence, now what happened to her case. The magistrate should have queried why she was in custody & what had happened to her case. He must be incompetent.
The lady should be guilt of another offense/s hence disappearing into thin air for fear of being arrest on others.
Safety kuisunga wemwine.
A cigarette please!
Most Zambian policemen rape women in police custody. I have said this before and will say it again. Lusaka HQ had even a room with a dirty mattress were women were/are sexually abused for the whole night!! Most cases, go unpunished beause vulnerable women dont know where to report the sexual assaults commited by the Z.P
Z. Police women just laugh at or slap their fellow women in the face before the abuse takes place.
Mr Chintumwene sir
How I wish I could say that you are merely blowing hot air from your a** but I can’t. I can’t because I go back to a scene I witnessed at a bus station in Zambia, in broad daylight. Two sisters who were travelling alone were accosted by a bunch of thugs who groped them and physically harassed them and eventually took them away. The girls must have been no more than 15 years old. The girls eventually came back to the bus station walking funny and everyone knew exactly what had happened to them. Nobody intervened and nobody called the police. I was 13 years old at the time.
THE MISSING WORD IS…………………………………. R A P E!!!
It’s true!! Most Zambian policemen R A P E women in police custody.
No wonder the Police is the most corrupt institution in Zambia. Its shame that the complainant was bought so that they do not attend.
Intimidated the witness, maybe…?
As a Zambian law student I would loved to cross exam the judge and the police officer. The judge should know these police officers intimidate their victims. This is victimization when women are helpless against these men. The concepts of victim blaming, victim responsibility or victim perception are all tactics to shift the burden of responsibility onto the victim, directly or indirectly. The judge is supposed to be fair and not make an already turned upside down life even more unbearable. This is making it look as if the lady is the cause of her own rape. She is paying a price for reporting the rape. Judge we all owe victims a duty of care. This case is full of bias and only when we practice real law and put the real molesters behind bars is when we will strengthen good communities.
The foolish police officer should re-arrested. this trend is comon in many police station.