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Eight years after their arrest and prosecution, 19 members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) have filed a K14 million lawsuit against the Attorney-General, seeking compensation for what they describe as a nightmarish experience of false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.
In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Henry Chilufya and his fellow plaintiffs alleged that they were unlawfully arrested and detained in 2016, targeted solely for their affiliation with the then-opposition party, UPND.
They now seek K14,250,000 for wrongful imprisonment and prosecution, plus an additional K444,781.07 for business losses.
The plaintiffs recounted that on February 27, 2016, they were gathered at the office of Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), the then-vice president of UPND, in Villa Elizabetha.
Suddenly, police stormed the premises, fired live ammunition, violently searched the office and beat those present.
The group was then taken to Central Police Station, where they claim they were tortured and interrogated by the notorious C5 police unit.
Despite extensive searches of their homes, no military attire or weapons were found.
The plaintiffs asserted that this ordeal caused them significant physical harm, mental anguish and substantial business losses.
They are seeking damages for the mental anguish, turmoil and distress they endured, as well as general damages for the physical injuries they suffered.
Additionally, they are calling for aggravated damages due to the torture and brutality they allegedly faced and further seek compensation for defamation of character and interest on the sums due.
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