The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has condemned the criminal and barbaric conduct of villagers in Katete who brutally attacked some police officers last week.
HRC Spokesperson, Mweelwa Muleya, said it is unacceptable for anyone to take the law into their own hands as the villagers did regardless of their emotions towards any given situation.
Mr Muleya stated in a press statement issued to the media in Lusaka yesterday that police officers have a constitutional obligation of maintaining law and order and protecting human rights.
He added that police officers deserve support and respect as they carry out their national duties.
And the Human Rights Commission has called on the police high command that has moved into Katete to deal with the unfortunate situation to conduct thorough investigations and ensure that all culprits are properly identified and subjected to the due process of the law.
“The commission would like to earnestly appeal to the police to continue exercising the same commendable level of professionalism exercised by the victims who refrained themselves from using excessive force, which could have probably aggravated the situation and resulted in mass killings of villagers and some officers alike,” Mr Muleya said.
Mr Muleya has further urged the senior police command pursuing the perpetrators to consider facilitating the compensation of the injured officers and continue rendering support to them beyond just medical care.
He explained that this would mitigate the adverse impact of the injuries on their general wellbeing and that of their families.
Mr Muleya further commended the police officers for their exceptional professionalism and restraint from using live ammunition on their assailants, even in the face of imminent danger to their lives.
“The commission was informed that the villagers defied warning shots and continued advancing violently until the officers reportedly ran out of ammunition. As a result, they were helpless, exposed and vulnerable to pouncing by the large mob of angry villagers who were armed with assorted objects,” he explained.
On November 19, 2022, villagers in Katete district in Eastern province brutally beat up some police officers for allegedly releasing two persons who were accused of murder but there was no evidence.
Mr Muleya stated that a total of nine officers were initially admitted to St. Francis Mission Hospital, out of which three were critically injured and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, as of 20th November 2022, only two officers were still admitted.
When Lungu bought equipment for use in controlling violent mobs he was heavily condemned and called all sorts of names. These Katete policemen were ill equipped to counter the Ngoni Worriors. Never heard of policemen being beaten like this.
Mobs will always be difficult to control, that said, Lungu still bought this equipment, why was it not in Katete should be the question? Lungu was capable of doing something sensible just so that he could profiteer.
Not long ago ….somewhere in Southern province residents chased the police from their police station and burnt it down.
Sometime back in Mufumbwe ….another police station was burned down . Policemen ran and left their station burning. Could not defend it.
We know of a story of how policemen at Lusaka central were beaten by suspected PF thugs who walked right in the police station. Sometime back we saw on social media a policeman being clobberd at a road block by an irate motorist. And now … 9 police officers clobberd by villagers. The questions to ask the minister of internal security and police command….What type of training is provided to at Lilayi? and are our police well equipped to handle violent crowds?
Arrest those Shaka impis!! This is not Zululand
Katete people are not Ngonis you dull monkey eater
Dis-arm the Ngoni worriors. Take away all their knock berries.( Chimutunga).
Human rights condemning villagers but not condemning Police for battering Tayali. and surprisingly nobody from the leadership in the current government condemning the battering of Tayali, the arrest may be necessary, but the battering of citizens is not. This is what we told PF not to do and the reason we voted for change. Stone age tactics of beating opposition members if true must be stopped immediately and perpertrators brought to book
All of the policemen involved must be transfered ASAP to avoid reprisals.It is most likely that individual members of the mob are knowm to the policemen
These policemen baaya saana, this is the best way to treat them. Just like Emmanuel Mwamba, we all know it was that Kolwestanese who throttled Chiluba to death but the police are doing nothing to arrest the murderer.
Nyerenda died as a hero for Russians. In fact, Russians promise every foreigner who fights for them full citizenship, full fringe benefits and permanent employment in the Russian Army. Therefore, Nyerenda was fighting as a Russian citizen in the special operation for mother Russia. He did not die as a criminal but he died as a warrior for Russians. Thus, Russians delayed in informing Zambians about Mr. Nyerenda’s death. Mr. Nyerenda also killed for Russians in Ukraine. We must respect and celebrate Nyerenda for being a strong African who dreamed to be accepted and respected by Mr. Vladimir Putin. RIP Nyerenda
Useless commission… people are tired of police inefficiency. You report a crime and identify the criminal. In the afternoon the criminal is drinking with the police at Pigalle. So what is the solution other than sorting them out the Ngoni way?
kkkkk kkkk and they were piled like fire wood or cacuses of pigs with anthrox ready to be burned.