Police say it is a blue lie that Post editor Fred M’membe, his wife Mutinta Mazoka and deputy managing editor Joseph Mwenda were roughed up by the police on Monday night.
As new evidence of The Post newspaper’s financial misdemeanors emerged, an eye-witnesss has challenged Mr M’membe to state categorically if the police or anybody else beat them up on the night the trio defied police orders not to enter The Post premises on Bwinjimfumu road which had been sealed by security personnel.
A police source at the scene described as a ‘‘complete lie’’ allegations that the three were harassed, saying that they voluntarily came forward to be arrested.
“I was at the scene all the time and at no time did the police respond to the verbal insults and provocation by Mr M’membe. The officers behaved professionally and all the allegations of harassment and brutality were a lie,” the witness said.
The Post newspaper reported yesterday that Mr M’membe, Mutinta and Mr Mwenda were roughed up and beaten by law enforcement officers when the trio tried to enforce a document purported to originate from the Revenue Appeals Tribunal for the police to vacate the premises and allow Mr M’membe to operate.
The eye-witness explained that neither M’membe, his wife Mutinta nor Mr Mwenda were beaten as they voluntarily surrendered themselves to be arrested.
The witness said in fact Mr M’membe and his wife ‘‘joined in the arrest’’ after Mr Mwenda was apprehended following his unlawful entry into the building where he was seen switching on a computer at a desk he was sitting before police switched off power supply to the building.
The witness said Mr Mwenda had secretly entered the premises and locked himself in the offices where he was seen switching on computers which forced officers to respond by cutting power to the building. Mr Mwenda’s move was seen by the police to be an attempt to utter electronic information, against a warrant of distress issued to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for the recovery of unpaid taxes by the newspaper company.
Earlier, Mr M’membe tried to force a ZRA official to sign a forged document purported to have been issued by the Revenue Appeals Tribunal to restrain ZRA from continued occupation and locking up of the Post newspaper premises in an effort to recover their money.
This was almost one week after ZRA effected a Supreme Court judgment to enforce a warrant of distress against the newspaper in an attempt to recover over K53 million owed to the institution.
“They (the trio) roughed up the (ZRA) director at his home, trying to have him sign the order; and this startled the director who later informed his friends about the impromptu visit at his residence by Mr M’membe, and he was a little taken aback over his safety and security.
“He felt that there was a risk on his life and he made a few phone calls to his friends over his security that M’membe and Mr Nchima had actually gone to his private residence, over the ZRA action,” he said.
DailyNation
Wenye ba mambala
Daily Nation Sakala (nyongo) … Agony is one has to go to the police to report a beating. but if it is the police doing the beating, no police report will be issued as proof of brutality. In the end, one can die in police custody and they can say it was suicide.
just pay what you owe and this so called closure of the post will be over.
even if you had an “authentic order” from the Revenue Appeals Tribunal, that order cannot overule the Supreme Court judgement. so it was null and void ab initio
The Zambian police have lost all credibility. Sadly nobody will believe a word from these people until there is serious reorganisation and change of leadership.
The Zambian police is now a militia wing of the PF political party.
Zabwino Palibe ba bonekela manje! Vodka Chagwa Wrungu asambila ba police.kikikikiki…sivinthu! VIVA HH 2016
Don’t say Zambia Police has lost all credibility.
Do you think credibility lies with supporting M’membe?
Do you know that tax evasion is a serious criminal offence – equivalent to any other for of theft?
Your opposition president, HH says he is going to give free education – is he going to get resources from donors perpetually or he is going to get from taxes?
Look, any govt worth its salt gets its revenues primarily from taxes, licenses, and user fees from the public (people and firms).
So, HH is showing a very serious weakness by supporting non-tax compliance behavior.
If HH continues on this path, even the few people who support him will withdraw their vote.
It simply means that HH is not predictable, and if someone is unpredictable it will erode people’s trust in his message.
Why is it then that it has taken so long for ZP and GRZ to respond?
The Kwacha is falling quickly because the world is watching and I don’t think any organisation can lend Zambia money anymore until after election basically due to bad governance. The Kwacha will soon be at 18 -20 to a pound.
There is so much grey area for any normal individuals to risk currently funding any projects. If ECL’s can manage to dress trees, they can manage to divert project monies to dress dogs, cows and cats.
ECL’s government can if asked even get a loan from IMF, to pay for Mugabe’s retirement benefits if asked. This has happened before recently.
He deserves a proper beating by mobile police recruits…
Mmembe never said he was beaten. The Post report was true that Mmembe joined in arrest after wife was arrested for helping Mwenda.
Anyway so ZP can even arrest Edgar if he voluntarily take himself to Woodlands.
I’ve always said that crook Mmembe belongs in jail. Lock him up and throw away the keys in Lake Kariba.
He is an incorrigible megalomaniac seeking undeserved sympathy. Ask his reporters if they have freedom of SPEECH at his sleazy yellow paper.
He also wants Kabimba to be President so that he continues not paying taxes.
And why deny the accusations 5 days later…who doesnt know how the Zambian Police works namwe…With the such a very very low IQ of the police where every suspects is treated as guilty until proven innocent vingalekele chinji ku chaya Mmembe futi anso!!!
Rain Man Check;
Police deny beating M’membe
29/06/2016
3
tweet
The Zambia Police Service has denied reports that its officers beat-up Post Newspapers Editor-in-Chief Fred M’membe, his wife Mutinta and deputy managing editor Joseph Mwenda when trio was arrested for trespassing.
Police Acting Spokesperson Ray Hamoonga has since challenged Mr. M’membe to report the officers who allegedly beat them to the Police.
Mr. Hamoonga says Mr. M’membe should get a medical report so that the doctors can examine him to establish whether he was indeed beaten.
He however, states that the Law allows Police officers to use minimum force to apprehend any person resisting arrest.
@mupombo,You must be ashamed of yourself.You go back to Zambia where the pf thugs are more powerful than the police.Compare the peace that prevailed in Botswans dusing the last elections to what is happening in your country.You need to be preaching peace and not trading insults.
GO BACK TO YOUR CORRUPT COUNTRY
Laundered reporting;…… the Daily Nation takes sides.
So does Fred who takes side!! Let him just pay, he is no extra-ordinary being and more Zambian than anyone else who pays tax.
Let FRED PAY. It’s our money he is holding on to. He is the worst culprit when it comes to laundered reporting and there is NO BALANCED REPORTING in the post at all!
This Lungu. What is he up to. *YOU DO NOT OWN ZAMBIA LUNGU* I DON’T LIKE FRED BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS AGAINST MORALITY. WHO DOESN’T KNOW THAT THE REAL LAIRS ARE YOU AND YOUR THUGS. I TRUST FRED MORE THAN YOU. PLEASE JUST START PACKING AND GET READY TO FACE THE CRIMES YOU HAVE COMMITTED AGAINST THE ZAMBIANS.
Listern to your ugly self ‘ati I trust Fred” Kikiki. Opposition parties brot up this issue of his debts and corruption by fred when he was a darling of sata. Ecl refused to be corrupted by Fred and we zambians are happy because that’s what we want. This Fred has being a nuisance to the presidency for a long time and he has to dance to his own music now. Upnd is just supporting him because HH is attempting his final chance and he is desperate for any vote from criminals.
The Post should just pay up and stopping buying time thinking that HH will win and forgive their trespasses.
@HHT YOU’RE AN ASHOOOLE…FULL OF SHIIITI! VIVA HH 2016
Look at this moron called DISCOURSE! Self righteous son of a gun! Who the hell gives you the audacity to insult people just because they hold a different opinion from you?
HH kept preaching about the fact that Sata was compromised by the Post and that Fred M’membe was not paying taxes. Now that he needs Fred to campaign for him, hh has somersaulted and wants Fred left to squander our taxes. What kind of thinking is this?
Discourse and your fellow ruffians GBM and HH have no clue how to be a darling of the Zambians. Your hh is literally a prisoner of Fred M’membe and if he won, Fred will never pay the taxes.
So bigger and most likely biggest arsehoole of all times Discourse, shut up or help Fred pay up!
Lets not talk from without. Why is Lungu refusing an independent accounting firm to reconcile the figures? If more than one independent organizations says that the post owes that much then I would believe but this is not the case. The numbers are cooked and a ploy to stop the Post after they exposed him of trying to rig. This is what this all about. You mean ZRA didn’t know the Post owed this much in 2015? and Just suddenly decided to know 2 months before elections? And refuse to get an independent opinion by KPMG. LUNGU IS EVIL AND MAY THE LORD ALMIGHTY PROTECT ZAMBIA AND REMOVE THIS INCOMPETENT PERSON
Agony is one has to go to the police to report a beating. but if it is the police doing the beating, no police report will be issued as proof of brutality. In the end, one can die in police custody and they can say it was suicide.
This why you need cctv in cells but even with that the police in US have ways round that…though it reduces it.
Stupid who doesn’t know that you have been told to use excessive force on people who are against Edgar Vodka cockroach Chakolwa Kaloba Wrungu. Pfexit,Chakolwaexit,Kalobaexit,Edgarexit,Lazbumexit,Kaminamisaexit.
Hatred will kill you mune.
@wise commentator. Its not surprising even the Pharisees chose Barabbas over Christ. And you know the consequences. This b.ustard thinks he is more important in Zambia than all of us. I think its time to remind him and pipo like you that all Zambians are important. Let you i.diot just pay Tax. You should be one i.diot too.
fuuuukyou
Give us a break! Chakolwa Chagwa is not Jesus, you idyot.
Lets not talk from without. Why is Lungu refusing an independent accounting firm to reconcile the figures? If more than one independent organizations says that the post owes that much then I would believe but this is not the case. The numbers are cooked and a ploy to stop the Post after they exposed him of trying to rig. This is what this all about. You mean ZRA didn’t know the Post owed this much in 2015? and Just suddenly decided to know 2 months before elections? And refuse to get an independent opinion by KPMG. LUNGU IS EVIL AND MAY THE LORD ALMIGHTY PROTECT ZAMBIA AND REMOVE THIS INCOMPETENT PERSON.
We r sick & tired of this tax dodger please. U shld just keep him in jail. And the Govt shld just revoke the licence. We r fed up. Zambia has biger problems that require attention, not aka muntu kamo! Fu***ck him.
And what the hell was this witness doing around 01 hours,who doesn’t know how brutal the Zambia police force are. Just tell the tea car ra in state house that come 11 August he will be history.
Pfexit,Chakolwaexit,Pamafiexit,Kalobaexit,Wrunguexit,Kaminamisaexit,Vodkaexit,Edgarexit
He was guarding the premises, mash brain Lukutu!
Mwanya your hh is unexceptable by most grass root Zambians. Lungu will carry on up to 2021!
I can bet my life on that!
Nowhere in the article says the witness was guarding the premises so please stop making up stories. Besides how could he see so clearly and closely in the dark if he was not part of the police force.
This Is very poor journalism. Who in the ZRP said the trio were not beaten? Why didn’t the Daily Nation interview the victims of police beating and brutality? They are trying to cover up and doing some damage control and its too late. The fact is ZRP ignored a Court Order and should and will be charged for contempt of a Court Order. Period.
Maybin what do you know about journalism? Your thinking is like that of Fred Mmembe
Can all the f00ls read this. Please inform that US prosti.tute who visited recently. “By Robert Hetz and Jesus Aguado
MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish officials raided Google’s Madrid offices on Thursday in a tax probe, authorities said, barely a month after the internet company had its headquarters in France searched on suspicion of tax evasion.
A spokeswoman for Google said in a statement the company complied with fiscal legislation in Spain just as it did in all countries where it operated. The company was working with authorities to answer all questions, the spokeswoman added.
Google is under pressure across Europe from politicians and the public upset at how multinationals exploit their presence around the world to minimize their tax bills.
Thursday’s raid was approved by a…
IIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE
Just the screaming from this toad calling itself Born free, tells one that you are a social path not fit to communicate with decent and sober people on this blog. Go bang your head in a wall and maybe, just maybe you will kill your yourself or your loose nut will fall into place, both results would be better than your current state.
Pathetic sad little person!
maybin which court oder are u talking about? please learn to research
then comment with facts.
@ pillar
Ex-Parte order issued and signed by DR of Tax Appeals Tribunal on 27.06.2016.
The “order” is genuine contrary to ZP allegation of forgery.
As a mater of fact, ZRA has lodged appeal against and “intra-parte hearing” set for 11.07.2016.
PLEASE CHECK FACTS and not new-born baby bed time stories.
Can a sane person believe Daily Nation for one Salalanyongo writings in his newletter not newspaper?Inamunyokola njala, so he has sold his soul.
Can any sane person believe Mmembe?
If indeed Mmembe , his wife, and editor were beaten why don’t they produce a credible medical to prove their case?
Because they were in the cells!
Use your brains!
They actually deserved to be cells as you cannot serve a court document to an institution such as ZRA at that hour! Blooming id!ots!
Delighted observer!,
This is the problem with blind UPND fanatics like you who think with their feet not with their heads! Any stupid lie from Mmembe is gospel truth to you as long as it is directed at the government!! My condolences!
Sounds like this selfsame police source is a Police Officer that wouldn’t hold in court….Daily Nation do you know what an independent source is? Fred M’membe is a very evil and deceitful character who knew what was going to happen to him and he probably had his camera men taking photos of everything. If you want to play his games you have to be two steps ahead of him; how do you issue this story almost a week after its published? You also have to have evidence that he visited the ZRA director? Did the ZRA director report Fred M’membe for trespassing to the local Police? Fred M’membe will do anything to wiggle his way out of payments to the extent that he takes his “wife” with him…he knew the eyes of the International community were on this issues and he took advantage.
kikikiki @maybin no one sign the ex-parte order..that tribunal dont
exist my friend and membe forced ZRA to sign the fake order but
the brave officer refused.
Maybin read. Don’t support blindly read.
We don’t care about international community. Let him pay tax. Its the same international community who claim tax laws are weak and collections not prudent. Weather he took his wife or prostitute is not an issue. Just pay tax period. His wife is also very immoral and dull. No wonder he does both sewer access of men and using the same stick which has feaces injects her.
HAS ZRA CLOSED THE POST? THE ANSWER IS NO.
OBJECTIVES OF COMPANY SEIZURE BY ZRA
The first objective of the seizure Act is to protect Government revenue by taking charge of assets with the view that the company in question pays during that period. In the event that a company fails to settle it’s liabilities, ZRA is empowered by law to sell those asset
In the event that the seized assets do not amount to tax liabilities, ZRA can issue a final demand and if they fail to pay during the stated time, the directors and shareholders can be taken to court. The penalty for this is:
1. Jail sentence of up to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour
2. Paying back the money coupled with five years imprisonment.
Has ZRA closed the Post Newspaper? The answer is NO. They are just protecting Government revenue by seizing it’s properties and if they pay, they will be left alone to operate.
Walasa…these are people we need in the country; ones the argue their cases with intellect, not namanon’go mumenso!!! I think ulya ushumfwa patunono, napafingi takomfwe!!! Reading culture in Zambia is very embarrassing.
This sounds like a concocted eye witness… and can you please be using proper words like ‘alleged’, ‘allegedly’ to inform your readers that this is hearsay and unconfirmed reports. Other than the quoted paragraphs you are writing and making it sound like this is ‘fact’ when it is not.
So this witness was at both the ZRA director’s residence and The Post Offices at the same time. Is the witness the lawyer Mr Nchito himself?
I think everyone knows that the Zambia Police can be brutal and can be rough most of the time. So I know whose version of the story I would rather believe.
This from the daily nation. Worse lies than daily mail and times.
Enough said.
It is public knowledge that Mmembe and the post have many enemies emanating from years of journalism that at times was objective, at other times very self preserving. I for one stopped buying the paper when it went to bed with MCS’s PF. That doesn’t mean the post must be hounded out of their niche by some mudslinging individuals such as Daily Nation that we know its owner has a bone to chew with them after he was convicted of stealing public property and he blames the post for his incarceration. Let the post pay but gagging them is not the solution. The Mo Ibrahim foundation will never land in Zambia at this rate. Meanwhile this should be a low lying fruit considering we have a lawyer for president
Allo last i checked 5 people were manhandled including the posts lawyers. so unless the lawyers lied too then id say richard is just trying to please his master. and by the way the story that was right next to this said ” but the US believe they were beaten.” post that one also
@jay jay I support you. at 01hrs a cameraman was present. what a coincidence. He knew what was going to happen. They dont even looked like people who have been beaten. How did he enter his office when police are manning the main gate. just thinking
Illogical comment!!! Are you still using a Nokia 3310. Everyone with a smart phone has a camera. Aweh Mwandi, Zambians.
Has Lungu shown where he got K27 Million in 1 year and paid taxes. You Zambians are bewitched dont read and understand the issues behind.
Its not about Fred and but the plans by ECL to Rig the elections at whatever costs, Do you listen to the lies ZNBC Deadbroadcast shows us day in day ou when we pay taxes. Has he said anything about the Student that was killed. No!
All policemen are dull. I challenge anyone here to give me an example of a policeman in Zambia who’s got a brain. A Zambian policeman cannot think period. I have tried my best to search for traces of any policemen or women who can think beyond the level of a chicken but I am yet to find one. If you think a policeman in Zambia will say anything sensible then you also need to have you mind examined.
Is there morality and decency in that in their quest to destroy one person, the life of thousands of Post’s employees (our fellow Zambians) are being put in jeopardy. If this is really indeed just a tax matter – why can’t the Post be allowed to operate as ZRA explores ways to recover what is owing. Isn’t there a way that the Post can be allowed to operate under some Receiver / Administrator etc. – whilst the matter is being pursued. ZRA has more chances of fully realizing its debt with the Post operating than it shut and not generating any income. We are dealing with our fellow compatriots let us exercise decency and humanity in the way we handle this matter – if indeed it is just a tax issue. The Post is not insolvent and the tax debt can be realized – therefore let it continue operating…
We dont like Membe but in this scenario he is more trusted than the violent regime. Zambian Police officers are full of insults and bitterness.
The story about the arrest and beating broke while Mmembe and others were in police custody. Lusaka Times and others reported same story saying they were beaten and arrested. Mmembe only made statements to the media after he was released.
Common Sense!
None, Mmembe + wife + Managing editor + their sympathizer had cellphones on them to capture their torture on video or pictures.
The Daily Nation in its vitrol and calumny obfuscates the saga by the red herring of no slaps etc.
The Mount Everest of the issue at hand which the PF and its minions subservient to Lungu are turning a blind eye is the blatant and unconstitutional mutilation of the law by the Executive usurping and overthrow of the checks and balances of the Judiciary. That my friends is the main matter here. One day someone will win a Habeas Corpus ; a writ (court order) that commands the govt who has restrained a person to produce the prisoner ; but with impunity this Lungu govt will shred that order in the dustbin. At that time, you will understand the enormity of Edgar Lungu’s crime for rubbishing the Tax Tribunal Court Order.
Zambia is a failed state.
The trio in that picture look too “intact” to have been brutally beaten. Can someone explain this further please? Second I don’t believe this article has anything new except introducing innuendos and non-fact. They do not name the police source, and neither do they qualify how that document was actually ‘forged’. Does this Appeals Tribunal exist? Has any principal on the tribunal come out to refute this document? How was it “uttered” then – or is this for court processes (when will it be)…
Allo why hasn’t the lawyer sued the AG for assault if he was ‘beaten’ by the police we all know Ka Fred was running commentaries through out his attempts to enter his post …insulting cursing and being impossible the spoilt child that he is…does Richard have a bone to chew with kaFred? Maybe but just as Ka Fred never asked Tricky Dick to be corrupt TD didn’t ask KF to evade tax…but we know how these people operate they create confusion in the minds of people they have stooges that would die for them and they love power. So Fred controlled LPM, MCS but failed miserably to control FTJ, RB or ECL so! He went after them…he doesn’t like HH so has began to plan for 2020 but their end is neigh
TRUE FM FAILED TO CONTROL FTJ EVEN WHEN HE LEFT PRESIDENCY FTJ NEVER BEGGED FOR COVERAGE BY THE POST, EVEN WHEN ALL STATE MEDIAS WENT AGAINST FTJ THRU FM & COMPROMISED LPM, FTJ STOOD BY HIMSELF. RB ALSO REMAINED NO TO MANIPULATION OF FM BUT UNFORTUNATE KING COBRA MC WAS COMPROMISED. IT IS NOW ECL NO FEAR OF FM & ITS POST.
How can you sue if the police and ZRA can ignore a court older. If it is a forged order why are they appealing against a forged document? We should have expected them to question the validity of the document in the courts of law than to appeal against it.
How can they also appeal against a court order they have ignored to obey. In one breath they are saying it is a forged order in another breath they ignore to obey it and appeal against it. So their manoeuvres have seriously been exposed. But Edgar should be careful with these vuvuzela bloggers because time will definitely come when he will face these issues alone.
Surely, with such smiling faces, can one say these chaps were brutally beaten? Maybe the word brutal has changed its meaning overnight! If this criminal was brutally beaten, i expected to see him in clutches or probably to see his ka head swollen! But the chap is there smiling and jumping up and down like a headless chicken!
Next time the police should do a good job so that the beatings can fall within the ambit of brutality!
Lungu can only win through rigging, majority of Zambians are fed up with what is going on in the country. Lungu does not own Zambians he is just a leader. Presidents come and go don’t clinge to power when people are tired of you. God liberate us like you did to the Israelites.
Mr Koffi Amasisipu Member Fred on ZNBC crip has been disowned now by the US they have seen that he is NOT a reliable factor in Zambia’s FREE press freedom HE is actually questionable and dented full of drama
kikikiki Zambians are really dumb. Now there have found another media hero in ex convict Richard Sakala. I am amazed that people can even believe and quote what a confirmed criminal writes.
“He stated that the Oasis Forum was fully aware of the implications of avoiding or evading tax and that no legal excuse could be given for individuals and institutions who refused to pay tax. ” This same forum of immoral chaps is defending a f00l who deliberately goes at night to seek public sympathy. The Police should have actually opened fired on the tress passers
Just admit that M’membe is a crookperiod. Office issues at home atah!
just lock him for lying it is perjury police come he is here
hahah i’ve learnt a new phrase today ‘joined into the arrest’…lol
Lets not talk from without. Why is Lungu refusing an independent accounting firm to reconcile the figures? If more than one independent organizations says that the post owes that much then I would believe but this is not the case. The numbers are cooked and a ploy to stop the Post after they exposed him of trying to rig. This is what this is all about. You mean ZRA didn’t know the Post owed this much in 2015 or the begging of 2016? and Just suddenly decided to know 2 months before elections? or after Lungu was exposed trying to steal votes. Why refuse to get an independent opinion by KPMG. LUNGU IS EVIL AND MAY THE LORD ALMIGHTY PROTECT ZAMBIA AND REMOVE THIS INCOMPETENT PERSON
Agreed @ Wise Commentator. Lungu was not only exposed as a fraudster but he also knows that The Post are the only media house with the resources, capacity, zeal, and will to expose him further about his manipulation of the votes. He knows that only The Post and Mmembe stand in his way… and this is’lessons learned’ from RB and by RB.
Why are you blocking my posts?
but its natural to straighten up anyone who is unruly
Mmembe and Sakala are two of the reasons why Zambian journalism no longer exists. Both are politicians ,sorry crooks, masquerading as journalists. Because of people like the two news reporting takes a confrontational stance. Only people looking to watch a fight can buy their newspapers. Those looking for news are not being served
Chachine. People have a Soapies culture in Zambia therefore they buy newspapers to be entertained not to be informed.