10 UPND CADRES TO BE COMPENSATED K1M EACH FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT 

By GRACE CHAILE

TEN UPND cadres who were accused of burning Lusaka City Market in 2017, will be compensated K1 million each by the State for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

In a consent judgement dated July 13, 2023, signed by Lusaka High Court Judge, Situmbeko Chocho, the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha, agreed to compensate the plaintiffs K1 million each and K700, 000 for legal fees.

“That the defendant shall pay each plaintiff the sum of K1 million as damages. That the defendant shall pay costs in the sum of K700, 000. That the above shall be full and final settlement of all the claims in this matter,” read the document.

The 10 are Michael Tembo, Njwau Sitali, Mainza Chongo, Mulenga Chileshe and Wonder Nakazuba.

Others are David Samba, Sitali Mukuni, Biggie Mubanga, Zhyinga Kahiata and James Hambulo.

In a statement of claim filed last year, Tembo and others stated that they were not only members of UPND but also businessmen. They were on different dates between June and July, 2017 arrested on allegations of burning City Market.

The litigants said they were arrested and detained without committing the alleged offence but for merely being suspected members of the then opposition UPND.

“The plaintiffs shall aver that during their time in detention they were subjected to inhuman, degrading and ill treatment at the hands of the Police officers. The plaintiffs shall further aver that they were subjected to humiliating treatment and torture,” they stated.

Tembo stated that after 112 days without charge or being accorded an opportunity to appear before any court of law, they were released unconditionally on August 16, 2017.

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