The Patriots for Economic Progress – PeP has expressed dismay over the torture assertions made by the Economic and Equity Party – EEP President Chilufya Tayali who was recently incarcerated.
PeP President Sean Tembo stated that, their Party is extremely saddened to learn that the Zambia Police Service, Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Deputy Commissioner Mwala Yuyi and his officers engaged in the torture of EEP Party President Mr Chilufya Tayali in Room 45 at Police Service Headquarters on Monday, 14th November 2022 at 21 hours.
Mr Tembo noted that there has been no recorded torture of political opponents in police custody since the days of Mr Dean Mung’omba in 1998, adding that it is therefore regrettable that President Hakainde Hichilema has decided to re-introduce torture of political opponents that are in police custody.
He mentioned that torture of political opponents often goes hand in hand with assassination of political opponents. Therefore, it may only be a matter of time before President Hakainde Hichilema further escalates his strong-arm tactics and begins to engage in assassination of political opponents.
“As Patriots for Economic Progress we are engaging with the torture victim; Mr. Chilufya Tayali to determine the best course of action. We would like to also request the Human Rights Commission of Zambia to investigate this matter and take punitive action against Deputy Commissioner of Police Mwala Yuyi,” he said
Mr Tembo has since implored the citizens of the Republic to make it unequivocally clear to President Hakainde Hichilema that the practice of torture and assassination of political opponents by the State, will never be allowed to return to Zambia again.
“If any opposition leader is suspected of committing an offence, they should be taken to court to prove the allegation. No citizen deserves to be tortured or assassinated in the name of politics,” he stated
On Sunday 13th November, 2022 Economic and Equity Party – EEP President Chilufya Tayali was brutally arrested by the police after he went on Facebook live to verbally attack President Hichilema and the government.
And upon being released from police custody after being detained for four days on charges of bringing the name of President Hakainde Hichilema into disrepute, Mr Tayali on 17th November, 2022 made a post on his official Facebook page accusing the Police of torturing him whilst in detention, by one of the most senior officers at Police Headquarters.
Mr Tayali claimed that Mwala Yuyi, Senior Assistant Commissioner of police and intelligence officer tortured him at the Police Headquarters in Lusaka.
He narrated that Mr Mwala allegedly beat him mercilessly and incited his junior officer to join in the beating.
“He beat me mercilessly and incited his junior officer to join but only a few succumbed to his unprofessional and brutal leading orders. I am actually worried that some of those junior officers will be punished for not joining him in the brutal party. I don’t know if that is what he learnt on his peace mission in Sudan. After beating me up, I was made to lay flat in a Toyota Hilux which they used to come and pick me up at home. It is also behind us in the picture when I was released at Kabwata Police Station. I could not tell where they were taking me, but I thought I was going to one of the secret locations I have heard (like in the case of Shabby Chilekwa) where they torture people,” he explained
Mr Tayali has since vowed that he is more resolved to continue speaking out on injustices, oppression and dictatorship of President Hakainde Hichilema’s Government, as the constitution prohibits cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; however, no law addresses torture specifically in Zambia, adding that acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are a gross violation of human rights and absolutely prohibited and punishable under international human rights law.
How many times has tiyai made unfounded allegations against people ????
Even to the extent of displaying piles of paper as evidence , only to find there is none………..
People have been shot dead because of his fake allegations and evidence………
If he was beaten at all , for all we know it could have been irate inmates………
No court of judge would take his claims seriously
The manner the Police have conducted themselves lately and how they arrested Tayali will make it difficult for anyone to believe them except of course the usual blind followers. If they don’t break the Law then why do they detain political opponents longer than stipulated? My advice to individual officers is that they should only obey lawful orders. That position was once held by Nondo who enjoyed tormenting FTJ’s opponents but when the time to account came he was alone abandoned by the people he served. Don’t find yourself in such a situation
umwana ushumfw amenene umwefu kwkoshi.