The Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) is calling upon Government to take urgent and immediate measures to stop extrajudicial killings, uphold rights to life and property and ensure the safety of suspects taken into the custody of the Zambia Police Service.
Despite the Commission repeatedly documenting deaths of suspects in police custody and highlighting the need for the Zambia Police Service to uphold the rule of law and human rights, police officers have continued to violate suspects’ human rights with impunity.
The Commission is saddened to learn of the death of yet another male suspect, identified as Alfred Zimba, who was taken into custody at Chawama Police Station on 26th July, 2024. Upon receiving a complaint, the Commission instituted its own investigations and established that the deceased was beaten by a named police officer and two members of the Community Crime Prevention Unit before being detained for alleged disorderly conduct at the police station. The deceased, who was initially arrested, detained and released after paying admission of guilt fine for idle and disorderly conduct; was subsequently beaten and detained for the second time, when he went back to the police station to get his mobile phone which was in the custody of a police officer and was later found dead in the police cell on the same day.
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 connected to the murder of Alfred Zimba, there is urgent need for the Zambia Police Command to take urgent and corrective measures to stop continued extra judicial killings of suspects.
Additionally, the Police Command must also put in place stringent measures to halt the abuse of suspects’ rights to property. The Commission continues to receive numerous cases of police officers taking and keeping for themselves, suspects’ property, and intentionally refusing to return it to suspects when released from police custody. Such unabated police conduct amounts to a grave violation of suspects’ rights to property.
Against the background of wrongful police conduct, the Commission welcomes Government intentions expressed by the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security for urgent action against errant officers in the Zambia Police Service. The Commission proposes the actualisation of urgent practical measures such as mass training and retraining of all police officers, vetting and immediate discharge of errant police officers. The Commission looks forward to working with all stakeholders towards nurturing a more human rights-centred Zambia Police Service in the country.
