Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambia Police release their conclusion on Post Newspaper Shooting

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Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani
Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani

FORENSIC investigations that were launched to ascertain the circumstances behind a shooting at The Post newspapers newsroom have revealed that the bullet was a stray and non-lethal one.

Briefing the press in Lusaka yesterday on the findings of the shootings, Inspector-General of Police Stella Libongani said the bullet, which perforated the roof of The Post newsroom, came from outside and went through the ceiling.

Ms Libongani said the findings indicate that the damage on the rooftop was caused by a gunshot whose bullet calibre is 7.62 mm, commonly used in firearms such as AK47 rifle, and SKS rifle.

“The Zambia Police have concluded investigations in the shooting incident that happened at The Post Newspapers head office along Bwinjimfumu Road in Lusaka on September 30, 2015.

“We have concluded that the bullet that went through The Post Newspapers office roof was a stray and non-lethal one because it had a standard shape and was not deformed,” she said.

Ms Libongani said the police carried out investigations in the surrounding areas and all the witnesses interviewed indicated that they did not hear any gunshots in the area prior to the incident.

She said the profile of the projectile (bullet) has since been uploaded on the ballistics database housed at the Police Service headquarters.

Ms Libongani said the outcome of the investigation is credible as it was handled professionally, and that the Zambia Police is willing to avail a detailed forensic report to the Post Newspapers on request.

She said the police conducted the measurement of the projectile to determine the size and identify the weapon which was fired; examination of the projectile to determine the impact, to approximate the distance travelled and the lethal or none-lethal state of the projectile.

Ms Libongani said the police also conducted examination of the impact made on the landing surface to determine the lethal-none lethal state of the projectile as well as measurement of the size and nature of perforation to determine the direction from which the projectile penetrated.

She said the police also conducted examinations on the projectile for identical markings which in future could help identify the weapon which fired.

33 COMMENTS

  1. some truth has been hidden in the name of stray bullet. if it was stray, on this material day in the area of Lusaka which police or soldier fired AK47? this the police can easily know. i believe there was a silencer used purposefully. Dont distroy Zambia baane

    • If the bullet was non-lethal how come it pierced through a roof made of iron sheets (not cardboard) and then the ceiling, leaving a hole on the landing surface (floor)? Does Ms Libongani think that we’re so stupid to believe that a bullet that tears through iron sheets cannot tear through the head of a human being causing death???!!!

    • AK47 and you say that’s non-lethal??? I’m not trained in the use of firearms, but even I know that you don’t joke with AK47!!!!!

    • @DO RIGHT, I AGREE WITH YOU. THERE WAS A SILENCER THAT WAS USED ON THE GUN, HENCE THE ABSENCE OF NOISE. THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. THE AK47 GUNS ARE NOT SOLD TO THE PUBLIC, THEY ARE ONLY USED BY THE POLICE AND THE DEFENCE FORCES. SILENCERS ARE ALSO NOT SOLD TO THE PUBLIC. THE IG IS BEING ECONOMICAL WITH THE TRUTH. A STRY BULLET FROM WHERE? WAS THERE A SOME MILITARY OR POLICE EXCERCISE GOING ON AT THAT TIME?
      THE SHOOTING WAS INTENDED TO SCARE THE POST NEWSPAPER. IT WAS A WARNING TO THE POST, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE UTTERANCES BY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

    • This woman has been IG for nearly 5 years, therefore, she’s sitting on a healthy pension pot. If i was in her shoes I would rather retire than to be turned into a pantomime by politicians. She’s a disgrace to women.

    • UNBELIEVABLE to say the least.. I am not a fun of Mr. Mmembe and the post but this police report is simply unbelievable. Of course it wasn’t fatal but to say it wasn’t lethal is abuse of the word. The report is sketchy. It doesn’t give details of the capabilities of the weapon the bullet was fired from. The approx distance and direction from which the weapon was fired. When I was a cadet, for example, I was taught that the M56 automatic rifle had a maximum shattering ability range of 1500m. Such data should have been given as well as the probable reasons for firing the weapon.

  2. NON-LETHAL:So does this mean that if some one happened to be in the way of this stray bullet, it would not have killed or hurt him/her Madam IG?

    • This woman is not fit to be IG. This is the most useless statement I have heard from an IG in the history of our country. She was given this report, read it before sharing it with the public. If she were a professional, she would have trashed it, disciplined the officers who did the investigation and prepared the report, and reconstituted a new team. She is related to M’membe – is she having a conflict in professionalism?

    • I don’t blame you mate. Imb!ciles leading a country half full of retards. How would a normal person honestly think this total bs would make sense to an average Joe? Its non lethal on humans but can cause damage to brick and mortar, please give me a break. She needs to be retired in the nation’s interest she’s lost the plot.

  3. Davis Boko Haram Chama was trying to kill a flying rabid dog with his unregistered AK47 & the bullet strayed into the Post newsroom. Since he never intended to kill a human being it was non lethal. Anyone wanting to challenge my statement should be appointed female IG first.

  4. Is there something wrong with me or is it just the report that is hollow before me? What kind of a report is this? Is this the best Sata’s Police women to put out as findings? But who fired the Bullet and where was the bullet fired and why was it fired? I don’t think Zambians celebrate anything by firing bullets in the sky like our fellow arabs do. The Stray bullet conclusion is ridiculous at best without frame of reference. This report is hollow and has even left many questions unanswered and Fred Mmembe is justified to believe that somebody tried to assassinate him and he has a strong case because this report has not helped at all. This is total incompetence

    • @MMD Chief Bootlicker, YOU HAVE SURPRISED ME OF LATE WITH YOUR SENSIBLE COMMENTS. KEEP IT UP BROTHER. WE ONLY HAVE ONE ZAMBIA FOR A HOME.

  5. membe was threatened by lungu sometime back and therefore the investigations were supposed to conducted by an independent body not pf police thugs

  6. I will not make much of this, LT reporters sometimes disappoint and can mislead. The good thing is that the Past news have been allowed to obtain the report. So they can publish it in their Past news, preferably scanned copies otherwise they may adulterate it as per tradition of lies and twisting stories. Problem is that very few people now read the Past, but they will probably arrange with the vendors to read a copy at K1 kikikiki

  7. TheEngineer, please stay there and don’t come back.
    Zambia has no use for you, she has enough high calibre engineers trained locally and abroad who have not run away after failing to find a job because they are not useful. If you do come back you will be lucky to find a former council house in Kabwata, so just stay in those slums you call home.

    • Thanks so much am 100 times better off in a slum here than in a country with half moron like this so called Inspector of Police. I am sure you find this report very very very credible since you so intelligent

  8. Ms Libongani said the outcome of the investigation is credible as it was handled professionally, and that the Zambia Police is willing to avail a detailed forensic report to the Post Newspapers on request – This statement shows that Libongani is biased in the way she worked on this case. Why should he bring the issue of professionalism when nobody questioned her? She is covering up her the culprits and there is no way an AK47 bullet can not be lethal. She must be sued to explain such statements in court. She is misleading the nation.

  9. This country has embraced mediocrity. Consequently, mediocrity is widespread at all levels. Even this summary on the shooting reflects mediocrity. Important appointments in government and parastatals are made on the basis of relationship, instead of competence. The country will pay heavily because of this wrong approach.

  10. Is she trying to cover up for someone for her to say it was a non-lethal stray bullet! But then I thought we were told that someone entered Post premises and began shooting! which one is the correct version?

  11. I am still thinking…..surely madam IG was misquoted??? Could an ordinary person say a stray bullet is harmless? In which way is it harmless……my mind is still reeling and the more I go through this article the more irritated I am getting…best leave it alone for now…..

  12. The police can only give a report on what is available. if there are witneses they should come out. For now the police can only do so much. even in developed countries they have un solved cases if no witnesses arent coming forward

  13. IN LAYMAN TERMS.
    The bullet was not fired at the Post Newspaper offices because no one heard a gunshot.
    The bullet was a stray bullet fired somewhere else at another time but brought to the Post Newspaper offices.
    It was non-lethal because it was not a shot from a fire arm but was just thrown through a window most likely from a catapult (malegeni).
    One day, we will know from what firearm it came.
    This is kind of scare tactics some people use by sending you a bullet. ‘The next one is for you.’

  14. I don’t know and understand why Zambia has found itself with such mediocrity in high offices. 51 years of independence and we have such a damn IG? How can such a con of a woman run a professional police service. A stray bullet fired from an AK47 rifle, pieces the roof and ceiling and yet its non lethal. If it can go through the roof then it can’t go through the head? Somebody help me I don’t understand, am at a loss.

  15. Lesson 1 Don’t comment on ballistics if you are an under 5

    Lesson 2 If you really are pressed to say something refer to lesson 1

    That was just a storm in a tea cup. The whole matter was melodramatised and blown out of proportion. Didn’t know people are such cowards. Fisunga abaume

  16. These is laughable….Police reforms needed urgently…anyway Fred is capable of anything remember desperate men do desperate things.

  17. Oh dear, dear heavens forbid!

    Is there such a thing as a non-lethal bullet fired from a Kalashnikov (AK-47) assault rifle? Is she saying it was a rubber bullet or something? A toy bullet maybe? reading through it, she is trying to say because the bullet didn’t detonate on impact (“‘because it had a standard shape and was not deformed’). is this woman this incompetent or she was misquoted by a dnmb reporter?

    What a report? Apparently they identified the type of rifle used (AK-47) and bullet size, etc but still want to upload to their database so they can determine the type of rifle used.. or did they mean the actual one which was fired? Good luck with that with the proliferation of AK-47 rifles all around the world.

    You could think they would talk about the motives of…

    • …You would think they would talk about the motives of the shooter… ‘stray bullet’, so what was the actual primary target? Dear, dear!

  18. The reporting is miserable. Iam even doubting whether Stellah said these things but knowing that she comes from the same education system as the reporter she may have said such nonsense and the reporter captured it.
    “the bullet came from outside and went through the ceiling” What does that mean? The bullet entered the room from outside-may be it was looking for shelter- it then decided to go out through the ceiling ka?

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