PeP STATEMENT ON POLICE REFUSAL TO TAKE DR. CHRISTOPHER ZUMANI ZIMBA TO COURT
1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) we are dismayed by the statement from the Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Mr. Rae Hamoonga that it is not the responsibility of the Police to take Dr Chris Zumani Zimba to court, and that the responsibility allegedly lies with the National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
2. In as much as the NPA is responsible for all public prosecutions, they can only prosecute a person and a docket that has been presented to them through the court system by the Police. Having arrested Dr. Christopher Zumani Zimba, the Police have a duty and responsibility to present him before court, after which the NPA is required to take over the matter.
3. According to Mr. Rae Hamoonga’s reasoning, the NPA officers are supposed to check Police Station detention cells on a daily basis and find out who has been arrested and then proceed to take such suspects to court. Indeed, it is evident from the above that instead of professionally performing their duties, the Zambia Police Service in general and Mr. Rae Hamoonga in particular has decided to politicize the arrest of Dr. Christopher Zumani Zimba and are using flimsy reasons to keep him in detention without the due process of the law.
4. Under President Hakainde Hichilema, law enforcement is no-longer an objective, independent undertaking, but has been weaponized and used to harass perceived political opponents like Dr. Christopher Zumani Zimba. The President should be ashamed that he has turned Zambia into a banana republic where it is difficult to distinguish between those that work for the State from those that work for the UPND party. From his statement, it is evident that Mr. Rae Hamoonga works for the UPND party and only uses his Police uniform to disguise his real political activities.
ISSUED BY:
Sean E. Tembo
Party President
Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP)