The family of 17-year-old Timothy Zulu, who was fatally shot by a police officer in 2020, will receive compensation from the government.
In a consent judgment delivered by Lusaka High Court Judge Situmbeko Chocho, the State agreed to pay K150,000 to cover the family’s legal fees, while the compensatory amount will be determined by the court through an assessment process.
John Zulu, a resident of Kamanga’s Nest of Hope Community School and father of the deceased, filed a lawsuit against the Attorney General in 2023.
He stated that his son, a Grade 12 student, was killed on September 27, 2020, by officers from Kamanga Police Post who were allegedly firing live bullets during an operation.
In his statement of claim, Zulu alleged that the State failed to offer any support during the funeral despite numerous appeals.
He asserted that he wrote a formal complaint to the President on January 15, 2021, regarding the conduct of the police but received no response.
“The plaintiff also visited the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to inquire about the matter. To his surprise, the DPP denied having received any report related to this case,” read the statement.
Zulu disclosed that he sent several letters to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking compensation but to no avail.
“The plaintiff has suffered the loss of his child, who was preparing for his Grade 12 exams, as well as mental torture and stress arising from the defendant’s irrational actions,” he stated.
In response, the State through the Attorney General’s chamber consented to compensate the family.
