GOVERNANCE EXPERT CONDEMNS CONTINUED DETENTION OF FRED M’MEMBE ON A BONDABLE OFFENSE
By Tellah Hazinji
Governance Expert Isaac Mwanza has condemned the continued detention of Socialist Party Leader Fred M’membe on a bondable offense despite meeting conditions for a police bond.
Dr. M`Membe is detained at Twin Palm Police Station in Lusaka after being arrested on Thursday last week for the offence of seditious practices, following an article posted on his Facebook page on 16th July, 2024, alleging corruption and other abuses involving Zambian authorities and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi.
According to Socialist Party Vice President Cosmas Musumali, Police on Friday deliberately delayed the process of granting Dr. M`Membe a police bond, with officers at police headquarters informing his lawyers that they cannot be attended to as the place was being fumigated.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Mwanza says the action by the police is tantamount to ignoring the presidential directive not to keep individuals in detention on cases that are bondable.
He says President Hakainde Hichilema has on several occasions emphasized that no one should be kept in detention if the case they are answering to can be subjected to a bond adding that the directive is being overlooked by police especially on political leaders.
Mr. Mwanza says what was expected from the police was to arrest Dr. M’membe and take him to court as opposed to keeping him in detention to punish him, which he says is unacceptable.
PHOENIX NEWS
Give him bond and he will do a Keiser or Tayali or a Banda. Our opposition like to feel glorified in their utterances but can t take the heat.
Agreed, what kind of a police state follows democratic principles??