POLICE SAY LAWYERS REPRESENTING MUNDUBILE, MAKEBI HAVE NOT BEEN BLOCKED FROM VISITING THEM
POLICE have dismissed claims circulating on social media that lawyers representing detained opposition figures Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu were being denied access to their clients at Central Police Station in Lusaka.
Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said yesterday the two detainees had been given full access to their lawyers, contrary to social media claims.
Mr Chilabi said the Inspector General of Police was on record as having assured the public that all detainees would be accorded their constitutional rights, including access to legal representation and family members, while due legal procedures were followed.
“Lawyers have been given access to their clients. It’s not true that they are being blocked from visiting their clients,” Mr Chilabi stressed in an interview.
He challenged those circulating the claims to verify them with the detainees’ lawyers, who he said had already met their clients at Central Police Station.
“You can call one of their lawyers, they will confirm that they were at Central Police Station and met their clients,” he said.
Mr Chilabi also dismissed reports suggesting that operations at Central Police Station had been disrupted, saying the facility remained fully operational.
“It’s business as usual at Central Police Station,” he said.
A check by The Sunday Times of Zambia found the station operating normally, with police officers going about their duties, attending to members of the public.
There were also no visible signs of disruption at the station by press time.
Mr Chilabi said the presence of many vehicles and increased movement of officers around the station should not be interpreted as evidence of a breakdown in normal operations, explaining that officers were maintaining security at the facility
The clarification by police comes amid social media reports alleging that Mr Mundubile and Mr Zulu had been denied access to lawyers and relatives.
And UPND media director Mark Simuwe said the party would report to police people found posting false and alarming information intended to disturb peace and development in the country.
Mr Simuwe said claims that the detainees were being denied access to their lawyers and relatives were unfounded, noting that police had already issued an official statement assuring that those in custody would be allowed access to lawyers and family members.
He warned that publishing false information with the intention of alarming the public was in contravention of the Cyber Security Act and could attract criminal prosecution.
Mr Simuwe urged people to establish the facts before publishing information capable of causing public alarm, saying politics should not be used as a means of committing crime
He also criticised concerns raised by Amnesty International over the arrests, arguing that Zambia’s justice system required investigations to be undertaken before authorities determine the appropriate charges.
Mr Simuwe said the focus should instead be on whether suspects had been subjected to trumped-up charges, rather than raising concerns over arrests involving allegations of possession of military weapons.
Cleopatra Mwamba
TOZ