THE POLICE ARE BEING USED TO PUNISH OPPOSITION
We paid a visit to Patriots for Economic Progress President Sean E. Tembo at Balmoral Police Station in Chilanga wondering what the intention was of taking him there without notifying anyone.
To take Mr Tembo all the way from Force Headquarters to Balmoral Police Station and a cell where he was alone is a mystery. What was the purpose? One day, these actions will backfire. One day, someone will die while in their hands and they will have difficulties explaining what happened.
Our simple advice is: desist from this conduct. The police can arrest people in a better way. There are right ways to do things.
It is difficult to understand this behaviour, this police conduct.
Why should the police lie to a suspect’s lawyers, telling them they are taking their client from Force Headquarters to Kabwata and then taking him to Chilanga, far away, without notifying anyone. Nobody knew where he was until this morning. The police are increasingly being used to punish people. It is not the job of the police to punish. Punishment should only be carried out by courts of law after someone has been convicted.
Where is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty? We have warned that the attempt to use the police to fix political opponents will not work. It will not solve any problem; it will actually create more problems. Whatever little problems we have, it will make them bigger and bigger. There is a need for citizens to be arrested in a more humane way if they commit a crime.
Prosecute him and, if he is acquitted, that is it. If he is convicted, let the law take its course. Mr Tembo was arrested last year and detained for many days. To date, none of those issues have been taken to court. Ambassador Mwamba was arrested, abducted, treated in the most barbaric way, assaulted actually, and to date he has not been taken to court.
I am in a similar situation. I was arrested amidst drama. To date, there is no record that I have been taken to court to be prosecuted. We were supposed to be in Serenje on Monday. The police phoned my lawyers today to say they are not ready. What is the problem?
Why arrest people if you have not investigated them? The police are supposed to investigate and then take action. When they arrest you they must tell you, “We have investigated and have found that you have committed a crime,” or, “You are suspected to have committed a crime and we are charging you.”
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
