The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has described the shooting of a Lusaka based bus driver by a suspected Police Officer in Kamwala area of Lusaka as worrying and frightening.
HRC Spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya said it is extremely worrying that a criminal act of a suspected police officer, fully clad in a uniform, blocked a minibus in daylight and shot the Harrison Miti in the abdomen twice, ripping out his intestines, while one bullet injured a female Passenger, Janet Zimba on the leg on Monday.
“Worse still, the announcement that the police are investigating to ascertain whether or not the suspected criminal is a genuine police officer or not is worrisome for an ordinary member of the public who believes that anyone wearing a Police uniform a law enforcement officer, only to have such a person commit such a gruesome crime,” Muleya said.
Mr Muleya said there is need to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure that the culprit, whether a police officer or not, is brought to account for the criminal act of shooting individuals over a road traffic misunderstanding.
He said the scenario provides an opportunity to the Zambia Police Service command to prove to the public that police officers are not above the law and are not licensed to injure or kill citizens but to protect them by enforcing the laws of this country in a fair and just manner.
He said arresting the alleged police officer will give an opportunity to allay fears that there are marauding criminals disguising themselves as police officers in uniforms and carrying out the duty of police officers in an arbitrary manner to the detriment of the rights and freedoms of innocent citizens.
“The Human Rights Commission calls for an end to acts of lawlessness in order to promote an atmosphere of peace, law and order, which is necessary for the enjoyment of human rights and freedoms for all,” he said.
The Commission has called upon people who witnessed the near fatal incident to help the police with investigations by providing the necessary information.
Meanwhile, the Commission wishes to commend President Edgar Lungu for pardoning 30 inmates, including Freelance Journalit Chanda Chimba III on medical grounds.
In addition to being in line with the Prisons Act as amended in 2004 and international human rights instruments, the pardoning of the terminally ill inmates is an act of compassion by the President and must be commended.
Mr Muleya said it is a well-known fact that the environment in most of the correctional facilities in Zambia is not conducive for human habitation and that can be a catalyst for worsening the conditions of inmates experiencing ill health.
He said the right to life is sacred and it would be inhuman to deny terminally ill inmates an opportunity to seek and access better medical services and care outside correctional facilities.
ZP belongs to PF end of story
Ever since road blocks were banned they been riding around in minibuses. Totally corrupt… ESPECIALLY at that post. Guess now you pay up or get shot. Thugs!
It’s now called ZP-PF party. Days are numbered so said a wise man.
At this point the identity of this man is not known – so no one, either HH sympathizer or opportunist waiting to take over UPND should comment. It could be a non police officer, a cadre of opposition party trying to bring more confusion in the country.
You cannot even see the truth when it hits you in your face!
Police uniform, police firearm, directing traffic, and you want to convince us it is a UPND supporter?
Visit Chinama Mental Hospital, they look after people with brains like yours!
Utter lawlessness by police
HRC how about the murderers of Mapenzi?
Waiting for instruction from “higher authority/appointing authority” before commenting?
How about the murder of the ZAF officer?
Munone…. tone down…. Do you go to church and pray for enemies?
Err on the side of mercy and don’t be unkind to your enemies….
UPND or PF is not Zambia….
Grow in grace and live in peace with all men. read Hebrew 13
Thats wise robmwale, your name tells it all – you come from the same region as our President of Zambia.
Thats why am not for the idea of death sentence on him (you know him) but something between life sentence and 63yrs in prison.
They are pardoned by the president but what about the people they have offended and those people they killed. You are saying that our correctional facilities are not conducive, think about someone those *****s killed, they are dead and barred , do you think the grave is conducive for someone. think.
To the HRC you are addressing a symptom and not a cause kindly start addressing the issue of poor sanitary conditions in holding cells as well as in remand prison- if we had cells that were well kept, clean, not overcrowded as is a human right then we would be on the right path to being a civilised society but until we can achieve proper standards then we are still primitive savages that cannot govern ourselves and as others have said maybe we need recolonisation! Secondly on this unfortunate incident less roadblocks are needed- too many roadblocks and police looking for money are causing these problems- firearms should only be issued to midrank officers or Jnr officers under direct supervision of a senior civilian cop!
We have allowed a situation were zp officer’s to there person vehicles to perform government duties