The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has charged that police officers have continued to violate the rights of suspects with impunity, despite repeated calls for reform.
Speaking about revelations a few days ago of police brutalizing and killing a male suspect while in custody, HRC Chairperson Dr. Towela Sambo implored the government to take immediate action to stop extrajudicial killings, protect the rights to life and property, and ensure the safety of all suspects in the custody of the Zambia Police.
The HRC has revealed that the police brutalized and killed Alfred Zimba, who had been taken into custody at Lusaka’s Chawama Police Station on July 26.
Preliminary findings indicate that Zimba was initially beaten by a police officer and two members of the community crime prevention unit for alleged disorderly conduct before he was detained. He was released after paying an admission of guilt fine.
According to the HRC, when Zimba later returned to the police station to retrieve his mobile phone, which had been confiscated by the police, the named officer refused to return his phone and proceeded to beat and detain him again.
He was later the same day found dead in the holding cell.
Sambo said the Commission is concerned that despite repeated documentation of deaths of suspects in custody and calls for reform, police officers continue to violate the rights of suspects with impunity.
She has called for urgent measures to address the systemic issues leading to these gross human rights violations by the police and ensure accountability in the police service.
“While the Commission commends the Zambia Police command for their quick action in arresting the named police officer and the community crime prevention unit members who are connected to the murder of Alfred Zimba, there remains an urgent need for the Zambia Police command to take corrective measures to stop continued extrajudicial killings of suspects.”
Zimba’s murder comes on the heels of the cold-blooded slaying of the Independent Broadcasting Authority Director General Guntila Muleya by alleged police officers who have since been arrested.