OPPOSITION LEADER UNHAPPY WITH TREATMENT OF KATETE SUSPECTS
By Pesulani Mwale
Green Party President, Peter Sinkamba, has raised concern in the manner Police Officers picked up alleged suspects behind the gutting of a Police Vehicle and 16 houses in Katete District of Eastern Province.
The 20 suspects, aged between 18 and 53, are also said to be behind the recent attack on nine Police Officers who went to rescue a man under mob attack for alleged being involved in a murder case.
Footage has since emerged showing alleged Zambia Police Officers bundling the suspects in a Van following earlier beatings and roughing up.
But Sinkamba has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of giving latitude to Police to abuse citizens, a vice his administration has pledged to eliminate since their time in opposition.
He likens the scenario to an occurrence that occurred in some parts of Southern Province in 2016 when Police Officers pounced on citizen who were peacefully protesting the outcome on a Presidential election petition, as well as the 1986 brutalizing of citizens during a food riot.
Sinkamba feels that the earlier attack on Police Officers by some residents of Katete is an indication that Law Enforcement Department is performing below par in execution of their duty.
He submits that had the officers dealt sufficiently with the suspected murder case presented before them, the residents could not have resolved to an uprising against the Police.