Friday, March 29, 2024

Police reportedly shoot dead State Prosecutor and UPND supporter in attempt to disperse crowds

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Two people are reportedly dead after riot police fired live shots to disperse UPND supporters who had gathered to show solidarity to party leader Hakainde Hichilema as he arrived at Police Headquarters for questioning this morning.

The UPND has confirmed that a male supporter and another State Prosecutor who was caught up in the fracas were shot dead by police.

According to witnesses the State Prosecutor had just gone across the National Prosecutions Office to buy a snack before he was shot by an overzealous officer.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo says police have not received any information about any death resulting from the fracas.

Large numbers of UPND members had converged at High Court grounds to offer support to Mr Hichilema as he was entering Police Headquarters just after 10 Hours.

Heavy police riot vehicles were patrolling the entire area near Police Headquarters and the three vehicles accompanying Mr Hichilema were throughly searched before ushering them in.

The party’s media team says and supporters across the country are advised to remain alert, and calm as the process proceeds.

“We have the background of all what is happening and we should be assured that our esteemed lawyers will ensure that the rule of law,is applied genuinely.”

The party says Mr Hichilema is represented by seven lawyers namely and in order of seniority, Nelly muti, Chad Muleza, Jack Mwimbu, Milambo Haimbe, Marshall Muchende, Xaviante Sinkala and Cornelius Mweetwa.

Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo yesterday advised the Zambia police service not to tolerate any form of violence when United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakkainde Hichilema appeared at Police Force Headquarters where he has been summoned.

Mr Lusambo noted with concern that some people were planning on attending in large numbers to offer solidarity to Mr Hichilema as he appeared before the police.

“The police should be vigilant in their operations by deploying officers around the city of Lusaka to ensure order prevails” he said.

Mr Lusambo said police has called only one person and he does not expect any one to disturb the peace that Zambians are enjoying when the opposition leader appears before them.

Police at the block UPND president Hakainde Hichilema as he tried to go to Police Headquarters

Editors note: Lusakatimes received graphic images of the victims but we will not publish them out of respect of the dead,their families and ethics.

101 COMMENTS

  1. Where do these people train from? You have a police officer who can shoot live round on people without guns, in order to disperse them!
    This kind of stupid zeal shoot should be muzzled.

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    • Very illogical this Police Force, why are these Police Officers who are clueless on crowd control ever given live ammunition. Give them rubber bullets please

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    • Giving solidarity to HH by his supporters cannot be deemed to be lawless, Police action is extremely disheartening, killing a citizen because he has gone to give solidarity to his leader. Giving solidarity is not synonymous with being unruly. This Minister of Home affairs keeps increasing tension in this country, he was busy instigating the Police to misbehave on Tv yesterday and today they have misbehaved as guided . This cant continue

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  2. This is not the Zambia I grew up in.What the F* is going on? The police are acting like rebel groups . Is that how you disperse a peaceful crowd? No warning ? What harm were they going to cause by just supporting their leader HH. Politics has degenerated. The IG of Police needs to resign.You can not be taking order from an uneducated person like Lusambo.The 2 men killed today have families who loved them and there was absolutely no need for their lives to be ended in such a barbaric manner. PF must go! You have lamentably failed. The economy is belly up, politics is belly up .I am so pissed off at this.

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  3. Heavenly Father, yours is thy kingdom, the power and the glory and everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you. You are the God of justice, pure and holy are your ways. May you prevail among the circumstances in our country and may the shedding of the blood be not in vain. Abachita ifi belalala. Comfort the families in a way only you can.
    My heart is broken for my country

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  4. OOh My God !!!!!
    Cant believe this is happening in a so called democratic and christian country. I am heart broken and condolenses to those innocent lives lost.
    Atleast from the uploaded video, the situation did not warranty usage of live ammunition, this is murder and can not be categorized otherwise.
    As usual, we will expect the PF machinery to refute any killings after this incident, and I am sure they will say it’s UPND.
    A sad situation indeed.

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  5. Police very useless it’s so paining and devastating we think police offer service but the current Zambia is not democratic may those that shoot the two have no peace till Barly raises ?

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  6. This callout for HH was unnecessary and Edgar Lungu and his PF police cadres in uniforms must be held accountable for these loss of lives.

    We shall prosecute these *****s for use of forearms where not necessary.

    Edgar Lungu down!

    PF must go!

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  7. What is happening in Zambia? This country was introduced to me as a peaceful country but Mr. Lungu seems to want a state of war. Political enemies or just innocent people with a different opinion are shot because it’s easier than a discussion. My Zambian people, how can you even think of voting this brutal dictator again.
    Note: As a European I highly benefit financially the more unstable Zambia is. But I don’t like to see my friends and family suffer

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  8. Zambia is cursed under this leadership.

    Lungu should immediately drop Kanganja, Kampyongo and Lusumbo for authorising this barbaric acts.

    God bless Zambia.

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  9. And someone coincidentally went on a so called “4 day working holiday”.
    ECL wants to monitor this act of political oppression closely. Everybody knows his tricks.
    Those lost lives are in your hands.When time comes ECL will be held responsible for his actions.

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  10. Mother zambia, where are we going sure? Ba NGO, Ba Civil Organisations and the church where are you? This is heartbreaking sure

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  11. @Shikulu Tinaiza
    The gruesome pictures are all over facebook. Dont be so naive.
    PF is a brutal and murderous regime.
    Firing live bullets on innocent people.

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  12. A good leader doesn’t put the lives of his followers in danger. It wasn’t necessary to gather multitudes of people like that. We have lost an innocent life because someone thinks strength lies in gathering chanting cadres. While they’ve gone home safely people that weren’t even connected to this matter are mourning. Very sad development

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    • Ackim Michelo get your facts straight first you moronic PF cadre. Restrained them from doing what? They were not being violent and were unarmed but then your PF police saw it fit to use live ammunition and ended up killing their fellow officer. Grow brains you twits. The blame is on the police and not supporters of UPND who have a constitutional right to gather

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    • Mwimanenwa Kamona you are the biggest moron ..kolongwe… You were warned not to go there but because you are so stupid you decided to follow your sucker leader…and him being so shameful and unreasonable he couldn’t just tell all of you not to go …. Shut you stinking mouth and sit down. You should grow brains yourself …you retard

    • Ackim Michelo fusekeni naimwe dull cadre. Anyone who justifies murder is an ***** and considering you sound extremely unintelligent your insults have zero effect on me. Grow a brain first then come back. Akamutwe.

  13. Lungu wants to cancell next year’s elections ……..

    he knew this un necessary harassment of HH would cause chaos and bloodshed……

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  14. This is why PF bought all these armoured vehicles from the apartheid era even from the video you can see that Police arrived and immediately fired into a static crowd without warning. Meanwhile the La7y one is enjoying his holiday in Luangwa Valley …whilst his stupid IG and his police force are shooting innocent bystanders again.

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  15. Anya Lungu, Lusambo and congolese Kapyongo for shedding blood in order to stay in power.

    Its just one day when hell will break loose and Zambians will run riot.

    Lungu and PF must go by any means. They are a bunch of killers. PF is killing millions by both hunger and bullets.

    We now need other means to deal with PF oust them at any cost.

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  16. A death that would have been avoided had that son of a beech hh and his party heeded calls to not take their cadres to what is a mere police call out for one individual. Hh you will pay for this! You have blood on your hands you f00l!!!! I am very upset about this..the upnd are desperate for blood as we get closer to elections. I urge you all to desist from following what this evil man tells you to do. He doesn’t care for you or anyone else

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  17. This is damn madness. Ordering police to shoot dead innocent people offering solidarity is not upholding law and order. This barbaric conduct by police and whoever ordered them to use live ammunition on innocent people deserves the highest form of punishment in Zambia!! I am so disgusted to hear this sad news!!

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  18. I wish these people who lost their lives remained home doing something constructive to empower themselves and their families. Maybe both the departed are coming from very low standard families and not from able or renowned politician families. It is poor people who usually loose their lives in this circumstances and not the elite or politicians. A politician will go protected and will be protected by the police, while a poor person will not. A politician will be given solidarity like in this regard while a poor will not be given by the same politician. Given chance, I would concentrate on doing things that will empower both my family and myself than going events that will cause harm. It is indeed a sad situation.

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  19. Kaizar Zulu

    It is lungu who is desperate to hang to power even if it costs lives of Zambians

    First it was his gassing campain where 50 innocent civilians were killed , now his police are agitating violence to shoot as any civilians to use as an excuse to cancell elections

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  20. What does Lungu and Mnangagwa have in common? C
    Strangly conferred with honorary doctorate degrees in law by the University of Zambia (UNZA) for, among other things, their exceptional leadership and upholding the rule of law. Meanwhile their legitimacy remains questionable and continues to brew instability in the region.
    Two years after soldiers and police gunned down civilians in the immediate aftermath of the 2018 general election, the ZANUPF government has continued brutalising citizens while ironically claiming it is fulfilling recommendations of a commission of inquiry into the horrific killings.
    The commission, chaired by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe, among other recommendations, urged the government to desist from deploying the military in quelling dissent…

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  21. Kaizer Zulu, PF police has killed a State prosecutor Mr Nsama and a UPND supporter condolences to the Nsama family and the Bembas sacrificed as expendables cost of freedom in Zambia. PF rule will not last forever, this is the beginning of the end.

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  22. The satanic nation of vampires are now violently sucking blood, they have been thirsting for blood since the day they bought cheap riot wheel barrows at exorbitantly exaggerated prices. but as life would have it soon they will lick their own urine and eat their own faeces. The blood of the innocent is crying out loudly to God and he never sleeps.

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  23. The video clearly shows a peaceful crowd offering support to their leader. Why did police just arrive and immediately start shooting? Who authorised the use live ammunition on peaceful Zambians anyway!!! These murderous scoundrels!!. Someone has to pay for this!!

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  24. The satanic nation of vampires and cannibals is now violently sucking blood, they have been thirsting for blood since the day they bought cheap riot wheel barrows at exorbitantly exaggerated prices. But as life would have it soon they will lick their own urine and eat their own faeces. The blood of the innocent is crying out loudly to God who never sleeps. Let them eat the flesh of the innocent citizens, but soon they will pay for their atrocities. I have spoken..

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  25. I wish the two who lost their lives remained home or gone to do something constructive to empower themselves and their families. Maybe both the departed are coming from very low standard families and not from able or renowned politician families. It is poor people who usually loose their lives in this circumstances and not the elite or politicians. A politician will go protected and will be protected by the police, while a poor person will not. A politician will be given solidarity like in this regard while a poor will not be given by the same politician. Given chance, I would concentrate on doing things that will empower both my family and myself than going events that will cause harm. It is indeed a sad situation.

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  26. In the height of covid, why don’t the UPND and PF tell masses not to gather? Am I the only one alarmed at this and the reported people shot? Zambia needs education reforms.

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  27. Fellow Zambian’s let’s petition the ICC, first suspect; Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has advised the Zambia police service not to tolerate any form of violence tomorrow when United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakkainde Hichilema appears at Police Force Headquarters where he has been summoned.
    Stephen Kampyongo and his associates need to be referred to the ICC (International Criminal Court) so that they can be investigated, tried and charged for their crimes. There is a growing pattern of criminality that has gone unchecked over the years which may lead to instability in the nation pointing him and his associates.

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  28. So sad indeed to have lives lost like that However that can be prevented in future .we saw it at Sata. Sata took that responsibility to stop carders from attending police call out session He did want to lose life. Therefore HH can still do the same by telling his carders to stay away to avoid conflicts with the police.

    Too bad

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  29. I felt ice-cold temperature how come shooting two honest people inside of shooting down bad economy and corruption. Pf should be reminded about George Floyd in the USA it leads to Trump losing an election. Its like we are being ruled by economic vampires who are just interested in our blood and any one resiposible for this incident may Elohim judge him or her..

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  30. Absolutely sad and disgraceful that innocent people had to die. Why use live ammunition to disperse a crowd though?? The nation deserves some answers from the IG.

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  31. Why police creating unnecessary
    Tension in city when the case is
    Already in court?Innocent lives
    Lost.We can’t learn from past
    Experience?He is bound to have
    Support as he is leader of biggest
    Opposition party.

  32. Kampyongo and IG will answer for war crimes they will try to blame the leaderless State House and he will say he was on holiday at the time in Luangwa.

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  33. What justification is there for police to shoot two people dead as a means of controlling a crowd offering solidarity to a person called to a police station? This is a crime against humanity and must be dealt with as such!!

  34. Why are they running away is there mission finished I thought they knew what the police do, they don’t carry those guns for nothing those guns can kill they are not toys to play with.
    People were warned but they thought it was a joke now what is the profit of defending someone and lose your own life.

  35. Lusambo iwe musatany0ko.

    After you do your time in prison, you will go back to what you do best, selling Kapenta at Masala market.

    You people think Zambia belongs to you alone.

    Change is coming.

  36. Each time there is kleptoh², someone dies.
    The name double h is now synonymous with death.

    Bamo chimpwenafwe nakuba.
    People stay the hell away from klepto².
    For what for.

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  37. Where we are going as a country I fear for us? I thought they are supposed to protect people and now they kill people, we thought it was a police service but now its a police force…

  38. Those who want to put the blame on UPND supporters for the deaths are complete id.10.ts ! So only one section of Zambians is allowed to offer solidarity? When the criminal brothers Chitalu Chilufya and Chitotela were appearing at the courts with hordes of supporters, why didn’t the police come out in full force and shoot some of them? I.d.10.ts, in fact one of the victims was an innocent lawyer/prosecutor who was just having his breakfast, shot in the head……IG and Kampyongo if they have any morals, should resign with immediate effect. Zambia is not PF and very soon this will become apparent.

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  39. NEO-COLONIALISM BY THE PF HAS REACHED UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS! NO CITIZEN IS SAFE IN ZAMBIA AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THE PF WANTS TO RETAIN POWER USING UNORTHODOX MEANS, YES, BE KILLING OR JAILING OPPOSITION LEADERS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.
    IF YOU ARE CHRISTIAN AND YOU ARE JUST WATCHING AS INNOCENT BLOOD IS BEING SHED, READ THE FOLLOWING:
    First they came for the UPND, and I did not speak out—because I was not a UPND membber.
    Then they came for the MMD, and I did not speak out— because I was not an MMD member.
    Then they came for ANYONE WHO DID NOT SUPPORT, and I did not speak out—because I was NEUTRAL.
    Then they came for ME—and there was no one left to speak for ME.

  40. UPND has started killing people.Information has emarged that UPND wants to be popular by killing people when HH goes to police.Ba PF check before it’s too late.They are using these UPND supporters in police force to do that.This party is dirty .Arest the guy who shot the prosecutor and you’ll know that this chap belong to UPND.Nowonder they even posted police brutality on BBC and other international media before the shooting.Ba PF remove these UPND cops in police force.They have vowed to be killing so that rise against govt.please sort them out now.Kapyongo please act .The police force is against you.

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  41. There is infltration in police force.UPND will damage you guys.Be serious fi PF.They are killing people to make lungu unpopular.It’s UPND police shot the prosecutor and that Kaunda.nooooo ba PF be careful

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  42. HH wants make a name for his foreign sponsors who are now not eager to finance his election bid. They are tired with his loosing streak as they have exploring and found minerals elsewhere within the great name

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  43. Romans 13
    Submit to Government
    13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

  44. But we all know that this is the most clueless Police service when it comes to crowd control, why not give them rubber bullets. Don’t you remember how they even teargassed everybody during the under 20 Africa cup in Lusaka, even teargassing the visiting spectators and their players, very embarrassing

  45. It baffles ones mind to think UPND supporters would ever disrupt HHs interrogations, the most they would do is gather around Police headquarters and surrounding areas, maybe shout some obscenities here and there but they would do no harm to anybody, it therefore baffles ones mind why the Police would even go to the extent of using live bullets on un armed and harmless caders. The tone the Minister of Home Affairs set on Police yesterday was not right on any given day and hence these very sad state of affairs

  46. Giving solidarity to HH by his supporters cannot be deemed to be lawless, Police action is extremely disheartening, killing a citizen because he has gone to give solidarity to his leader. Giving solidarity is not synonymous with being unruly. This Minister of Home affairs keeps increasing tension in this country, he was busy instigating the Police to misbehave on Tv yesterday and today they have misbehaved as guided . This cant continue, please. We cant continue loosing lives in such a manner

  47. This president that we have is evil and his bloody thirsty ministers sacrificing people like. gassing its own citizens for for the love of money. Judgement day is coming upon you and you will all die like mosquitoes that has been doomed. Blood suckers.

  48. High level of incompetence and/or stupidly in the way police always want to engage with opposition parties be it to assist in investigations or enhance peace. The problem is police ever approach the opposition in boisterous intimidatory manner that the police is law and they determine or define the extent of freedom and rights that the opposition can enjoy! The public court has condemned the police to be loyal guard dogs to the ruling party and only the ruling party with its members has entitlement to exercise their rights every which way! Police need a sociology unit to conduct research for their concerns and services improvements! Especially to re-establish trust with the citizenry.

  49. Fake reporters and alarmists have done more harm to this country than politicians. We vote once in 5 years but subject ourselves to unnecessary suffering day in and out.

    Whoever wins this 2021 election will not win it with votes from billions of the global news and social media audiences. He or she will need lufwanyama, bweengwa, mfuwe, sioma, mukandankunda, chilubi, shibuyunji, mukando, senga hill and kashiba where people don’t know news and social media.

    Authenticate don’t speculate. One hundred million my like your post but how many of those will vote with your post? Again how many will be hurt?

    Let Muvi, ZNBC, Diamond and the like work

  50. That crowd was not rowdy from what I saw. The Police came abd threw teargas into the crowd. How were they disturbing the peace around them. I recal how Max the PF cadre camped in the same place when UPND was trying to file the petition; no Police went to disperse them and it was peaceful. So why does the state police find it necessary to disperse opposition cadres whenever they come in a peaceful manner to offer support to their leader? Hon Chitalu had the whole court evaded by his supporters, including chiefs, and his case had to be adjourned because of the “supporters”; I never saw riot police converge to disperse the “supporters”. It’s the uninvited police presence and their actions that lead to loss of lives.

  51. @Kazier Zulu so if you family decides to accompany you for a police summon and get killed in the process it’s your fault?

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  52. @Moscow(op),
    Conspiracy theories will one day killu you, you seem to be out of touch and predictable.
    What type of nonsence fogs your head, too much KG.G.B stuff eating your brains. As expected…..

  53. An unauthorized gathering is illegal, people do so at owners risk. Why risk your life for a person who has been lawfully summoned before the authorities? May common sense please prevail, while you die those you broke the law for in solidarity go home to their mansions and a privileged life. Our hearts go out to the families of those who are alleged to have died. Hard to believe that ZP used life Ammo so I await the facts.

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  54. When you are not allowed to gather don’t. People were resisting. The person you’re talking about have you confirmed he is dead?

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  55. This wasn’t a situation that would have warranted the discharge of firearms. This is just an opposition leader appearing before the police. He is not a remanded prisoner so the scenario doesn’t portend violence. Skirmishes, yes, but fatal violence I doubt. If however it is police who came armed and if it can be established they were the shooters then that would mean they came with a malicious motive. This should n’t be swept under the carpet. UPND must spend all its resources to prosecute the murderers of these two because the state may be unlikely to do so

  56. Kampyanga and Kangonjo must be put in the same cell in 2021, so that they can continue convessing. This fulishness cant continue

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  57. god we need you like never before protect our country especially in this time that we are about to have elections ,why and what could be the reson of us zambians to start killing ourselves no no no this is a christian nation for god sake lets protect each other plz

  58. Useless inhuman dunderheads here like @KZ and his cohort have the audacity to blame HH for these cold bloodied murders perpetrated by the PF Police cadres. How do you open live fire on a few hundred crowd that are unarmed and justify it? You are the lowest of animals and will soon surely meet your own gruesome Waterloo.

  59. Kampyongo, Kanganja and all aiders and abaters in these atrocities, shall be tied up sooner than later and have their ears, noses and other parts slowly cut off. Watch the space.

  60. Kaizer Get some sense in your silly head!! The guy was having breakfast and your *****ic police shot him. How does he become a cadre? Kwatako Amanone nsoni – wilabosa napamafi unyele weka from your own a..se!

  61. Suspected State assignation of Prosecutor who was against state case on HH. Supporter is collateral damage.
    Reminds one of MMD trained assassins that killed Baldwin, Penza and Tembo. They are back!

  62. Kaizer Zulu and cohorts, stop reasoning from your stomach, a life has been lost, isn’t that enough for you to use your mind even for this once! You are speaking the feaces your mind is full of. No reason is good enough to kill any human being who has done no wrong.

  63. The most depraved characters in humanity @KZ and @Zambian citizen. In the midst of reality, objectivity, common sense and being humane, the two have constantly revealed to us that they are from the far flung planet of imb.ecility and underdeveloped brains. You, ECL, cronies and cohort, are the only ones responsible for this atrocity and you will be the only ones responsible for the consequences.

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