POLICE SAY IT IS NOT THEIR MANDATE TO TAKE A SUSPECT TO COURT IN RESPONSE TO GROWING CALLS TO TAKE DR. CHRIS ZUMANI TO COURT
By Patricia male
The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes -SACCORD- is appealing to the police to explain the delay to take to court former state house special advisor to the president, Chris Zimba, over 10 days after his arrest.
SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe says the extended incarceration of Dr. Zimba is concerning as he is just a suspect and has not been found guilty of any crime leveled against him by the courts of law.
Mr. Cheembe is further appealing to the police to take a further step to take Dr. Zimba to court to defend himself as per the laws of Zambia.
He explains that president Hakainde Hichilema has emphasized on the need for law enforcement agencies to undertake thorough investigations before effecting arrests so that people’s human rights are not violated.
Mr. Cheembe however notes that in the case of Dr. Zimba, the length of his stay in custody without being given bond and taken to court is now raising concerns over his rights to justice.
And when contacted, Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga says it is not the mandate of the police to take a suspect to court but the national prosecution authority and clarified that the charge Dr. Zimba is facing is non-bailable.
Dr. Zimba has been jointly charged and arrested with three others for being in possession of articles for terrorism.
PHOENIX NEWS
Niggaz, the charge of terrorism is unbailable.
You can do whatever you want, you can not change this. Terrorism sits next to treason. These are capital crimes that, until Bally changed the law, carry the death sentence.
Innocent people died during the gassing terror attacks. Justice must be done for them.
If PeeEfu was in power, this is one of the crimes that would have gone unattended. PeeEfu murdered and conspired to murder people and never thought this day of reckoning would come. And today they still remain arrogant and without shame even after committing these heinous crimes.
Zumani accepted the post of Presidential advisor with both eyes open and he went and deleted all the criticism against PeeEfu and ECL when he sold his integrity for a pot of beans. He accepted wholeheartedly the very thing he condemned.
Why are we Africans like this? Even in well established democracies there cases they don’t bail. And this is one of them. Stop playing politics with criminality. If you were sharing stuff with him, that is a personal matter! This case can go on for a long time, he will be coming from custody to attend court sessions. You can make as much noise as you like and even storm out of parliament it won’t assist. Terrorism can not be tolerated. PF go and ask the people who lost their loved ones how they feel especially that the one caught with materials for the crime was the political advisor to the president! What does this say about the former president? This shows why he never commented on gassing. He knew his people were behind. Why did PF fail to arrest and prosecute him? Gassing was a PF project with Lungu’s blessings.