Rights commission laments continuous extrajudicial killings, as another victim reported dead at Chawama police station

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has called on the government to take urgent and immediate measures to stop extrajudicial killings.

Commission Chairperson, Dr. Pamela Sambo, demanded that the government upheld the rights to life and property and ensure the safety of suspects in the custody of the Zambia Police Service.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Saturday, Sambo said police officers had continued to violate suspects’ human rights with impunity.

She stated this was despite the Commission repeatedly documenting deaths of suspects in police custody and highlighting the need for the Police to uphold the rule of law and human rights.

“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,” Sambo said.

She stated that upon receiving a complaint, the Commission instituted its own investigations and established that the deceased was beaten by a named police officer.

Sambo added that Zimba was also beaten by 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 an admission of guilt fine for idle and disorderly conduct, was subsequently beaten and detained for the second time,” she stated.

Sambo noted that Zimba returned to the police station to retrieve his mobile phone, which was in the custody of a police officer and was later found dead in a police cell on the same day.

Sambo also highlighted the need for the Police Command to implement 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,” she stated.

Sambo said such unabated police conduct amounts to a grave violation of suspects’ rights to property.

She welcomed government’s intentions, as 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 actualization of urgent practical measures such as mass training and retraining of all police officers, vetting, and immediate discharge of errant police officers,” she proposed.

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