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An opposition party senior official, who says he was tortured by state police, has filed a lawsuit against the Attorney-General, demanding damages.
Patriotic Front (PF) member of the central committee, Emmanuel Mwamba, petitioned the Lusaka High Court seeking among other declarations that the police officers’ conduct on physical manhandling amounted to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment contrary to article 15 of the Republican Constitution.
Mwamba wants the court to declare confiscation of his personal effects, a violation to his right to protection from deprivation of property and protection for privacy of home and other property under article 16 and article 17 of the Constitution.
He also wants the State to pay him damages for mental and emotional stress as well as for torture, assualt and battery.
The petitioner cited the Attorney-General, Steven Simweenda, Brian Chipango and Joseph Kapasa, all police officers, as respondents in the matter.
Mwamba stated that he was on June 14, 2023, at 15:30 hours, apprehended by unknown men at Jamie’s Car Wash, in Woodlands area along Mosi-O-Tunya road.
He was then ordered to accompany the said men to Zambia Police Service headquarters for an interview.
The petitioner alleged that he was not allowed to call his lawyers or family members or inform anyone about the supposed interview.
“The said police officers agrressievly confiscated my mobile phone device while,the other man,whom I later learnt was the third respondent, forcibly twisted my right arm for several minutes ,causing great pain to me,” he said.
Mwamba stated that he lost a tooth on the upper jaw due to the torture.
He added that the State agents further confiscated his ATM bank cards, driver’s license, National Regstration Card and other indentification cards and demanded for PIN codes to the said items.
The Petitioner complained that he was not allowed to access medical attention despite the assualt occassioned on him.
“That I was held under police custody at Emmasdale Police Station for two days without according me access to medical care, food, water, family members and my legal representatives,” he stated.
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