COURT UPDATE; MWAMBA RECOUNTS BRUTAL ATTACK AND ABDUCTION BY THE POLICE
… they framed the charge of assaulting a police officer to hide the brutality they meted on him…
Lusaka-Tuesday, 5th November, 2024
Former Ambassador to Ethiopia and Patriotic Front Chairperson for Information and Publicity, Emmanuel Mwamba recounted before the Lusaka Resident Magistrate. Hon. Trevor Kasanda, how he was brutalised and detained by police officers from Zambia Police Service Headquarters.
Commencing his defence in a matter where he is charged with allegedly assaulting a police officer, Mwamba testified that the officers manhandled and brutalised him.
He was led in his defence by Mr. Chandiwa Nyimbiri from Makebi Zulu Advocates.
Mwamba narrated that he went to a car wash located on Mosio-O-Tunya road in Woodlands on Wednesday, June 14th 2023 around 15:00hrs.
He said shortly after his arrival at the car wash, he saw three (3) cars arrive and about twelve (12) men alighted and charged towards him.
He said only one person was familiar to him.
He said he asked if they were policemen and demanded for identification cards when they said they were there to pick him up.
He also wondered why the officers could not issue a police call-out to invite him for any matter they were investigating since he was a well-known person and of fixed abode.
He said during this process, he also requested to phone his lawyer. He said he managed to call his wife but barely gave details of where he was as one of the officers wrestled and twisted his hand backwards and forcibly grabbed the phone.
He said it was at this stage that the officers became brutal and started attacking him and were focused on trying to get his phone.
He said despite showing willingness to accompany them to the Police Station if they showed him identification cards, the police officers didn’t and were only determined to bundle him in one of the waiting cars.
He said he felt he was being abducted as the men came in unmarked cars, did not show any IDs and were in civilian clothes.
He identified 3 police officers that led the attack, who he later learnt to be; Steven Simweenda, Brian Chipango and Joseph Kapasa as officers who man-handled and brutalised him.
He said the brutal scene attracted people including workers at the car wash.
He also dismissed assertions that he assaulted one of the Police officers as both his hands were restrained by the 3 officers.
He said police officers confiscated phones of other patrons at the car wash who were filming the incident and brought them to Police Service Headquaters and later proceeded to delete the footages as testified earlier in court.
He said if the phone footages were favourable to the story of the police officers, they would not have deleted the evidence but would have tendered it in court.
Mwamba said when they arrived at Service Headquarters, he informed a person who identified himself as a supervising officer of the operation, Prince Kalala, that he had been brutalised and was experiencing a lot of pain on his neck, shoulders, upper right jaw and a visibly swollen thumb and needed to immediately seek medical attention.
Mwamba narrated that he was later detained at Emasdale Police Station but both his family and his lawyer only located him the following day.
He expressed surprise that after the brutal ordeal that he experienced during his apprehension, a report was brought that he had assaulted a police officer calling the process utterly fraudulent.
He said the charges were brought to hide the human rights abuses the police officers committed and injuries they inflicted on him.
He stated that for 3 days, police authorities denied him access to medical treatment and he only went to the hospital after he was released on police bond.
He said medical records confirmed that he was brutalised, lost his tooth, and had bruises on his shoulders.
He said he reported the 3 officers to Woodlands Police Station on charges of assault. He testified that he tendered evidence but said to date, the Zambia Police has never investigated or arrested the Police officers despite his evidence and medical records he submitted.
He also testified that he complained to the Zambia Police and Public Complaints Commission to investigate the criminal and misconduct of the 3 officers and to investigate the fraudulent charges slapped on him.
He said so far nothing has been done and he has sued the police officers and the Attorney General in the Lusaka High Court for the brutal attack and abduction.
Mwamba proceeded to tender documentary evidence and photos into court of his medical records, letters of complaint to the Zambia Police and Public Commissiona and other supporting document.
The matter was adjourned to November 20th 2024 for continued defence.