ZAF officer’s death goes to Parley

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:52:28 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA and KALOBWE BWALYA

MINISTER of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo will be at liberty to make a statement on the death of Zambia Air Force (ZAF) soldier Mark Choongwa who died in custody at Woodlands police station after investigations have been concluded, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini has guided.

And preliminary post-mortem results have revealed that Flight Sergeant Choongwa had a broken spinal cord and bore scars of short batons attacks on his back. He was buried in Lusaka yesterday.

Dr. Matibini said it would not be fair and appropriate for members to begin debating the matter while investigations were going on.

The Speaker said this in a ruling after Mazabuka Central (UPND) Members of Parliament Garry Nkombo wanted to find out whether the death was as a result of ‘‘extra-judicial killing’’ by the police.

Mr. Nkombo demanded that the Speaker must compel Mr. Kampyongo to explain whether or not the death of Flight Sergeant Choongwa was as a result of extra-judicial killings by police officers.

“Today as I am speaking, Sir, the Zambia Air Force officer Sergeant Mark Choongwa is no more; he was killed in police custody. Sir, we were told initially that he had been killed by inmates,” he said.

Mr. Nkombo said on Tuesday President Edgar Lungu directed that there should be no sacred cows during the investigations.

“Is the Minister of Home Affairs in order to remain silent and not update this House so that we know for sure whether our suspicion of what we have been calling extra judicial killings by the police is true?” Mr. Nkombo said.

But in his ruling, Dr. Matibini said Mr Kampyongo would be at liberty to make a statement on completion of the investigations.

“I do not think it will be fair and appropriate for us to begin debating this matter whilst investigations are going on. That is my ruling,” the Speaker said.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Choongwa, who died in the early hours of Saturday, has been buried, with his family demanding for justice to prevail and that no one should conceal the truth.

And Acting Deputy Airforce Commander Brigadier General Kapotwe Chintu who represented the Airforce commander General Eric Chimese, said the ministries of Defence and Home affairs have launched joint investigations to ensure that all those found wanting in the matter were brought to book.

Brig Gen Chintu said Flight Sergeant Choongwa was dedicated to his work, appealing to the family to remain calm and allow the investigations to progress.

Brother to the late, Rev. Chilala Choongwa, said it was sad that the people who were supposed to protect citizens and uphold the law were abrogating it, saying everyone had a right to life and urged the family not to take revenge but to wait for the law to take its course.

ZAF Warrant Officer Class 1 Rev. Reagan Mwape welcomed President Lungu’s directive for the two ministries to immediately institute investigations so that the perpetrators of this heinous act could be brought to book without fear or favour.

Information have emerged that seven police officers from Woodlands police station were behind the death of Sergeant Choongwa who was initially alleged to have been beaten by suspects in the cells.