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The Police Public Complaints Commission (PPCC) has recorded a significant rise in public complaints against police conduct, with 10 cases of extrajudicial killings reported in the second quarter of 2024.
During this period, the Commission received a total of 68 complaints, a notable increase from the 46 complaints recorded in the first quarter of the year.
These complaints were registered across eight of Zambia’s 10 provinces.
Zunga Siakalima, Chairperson of the PPCC, confirmed the increase in a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday.
He noted that Lusaka Province had the highest number of complaints, with 51 cases, followed by Central with 5, Southern and Eastern with three each, Western and Copperbelt with two each, and North Western and Northern provinces with one complaint each.
No complaints were reported from Muchinga and Luapula Provinces.
“The complaints received between April and June 2024 included 14 cases of unlawful arrests and over-detention, 11 cases of discreditable conduct, 11 cases of police inaction,” Siakalima detailed.
The report also highlighted 10 cases of unprofessional conduct, seven of police brutality, five of abuse of authority, four cases involving corruption or malpractice, two deaths in custody, three cases of police negligence, and one case of questionable release of suspects.
Siakalima expressed concern over the 10 cases of extrajudicial killings recorded in the second quarter, matching the number from the first quarter, bringing the total to 20 cases for the first half of 2024.
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Notably, Copperbelt Province recorded four cases in the first quarter and 1 in the second quarter, while Lusaka Province saw an increase from six cases in the first quarter to nine in the second quarter.
The four individuals shot at the Inter-land PUMA filling station on June 30, 2024, in Lusaka, were included in these figures.
In response to these troubling developments, Siakalima emphasized that the Commission, under Section 4(1)(e) of the Police Public Complaints Commission Act, has actively engaged with partners and stakeholders to promote professional police conduct.
He also highlighted that several cases had been referred to the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission, and the National Prosecutions Authority for further action following public hearings.
“The Commission’s cornerstone as an oversight body is its ability to operate and conduct investigations into police actions without any interference,” Siakalima reiterated.
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