Mongu secret arrests exposed

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:06:04 +0000

The Barotseland Freedom Movement has expressed serious concern at the conduct of the Zambia Police in Mongu who have instituted secret arrests and arbitrary detentions of innocent citizens on trumped up charges. 

BFM chairman Nyambe Namushi  exposed the secret arrests that  have continued.

According to Mr Namushi, the latest victim, Rasta Lubasi Mutukwa who was arrested from Sesheke last month had been held in custody since then, was taken to Lusaka for torture and questioning.

He said the Victim was traced at Mongu central Police Station where he had been detained without trial.

Mr Namushi claimed that Mutukwa was denied visits from friends and relatives and was kept in very filthy conditions, alleging that the Police in their usual style of management under the guise of security were violating his human and constitutional rights with impunity.

“We appeal to Barotse Royal Establishment, Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission and other Human Rights Organisations to bring to the fore the plight of Barotse citizens who are suffering arbitrary police harassment for seeking to redress their human rights which have been trampled and denied by the Government of Zambia,” he said.

The BFM demanded the immediate release of Mutukwa so that he may join his children who had been deprived of being looked after by their parent, adding that his fear was that if the trend was not contained, the Zambia Police would continue to violate the liberties of Barotse citizens who were seeking to extricated themselves from the forced unity with Zambia after the unilateral denial of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.

“No solution to the impasse on this matter will be achieved through arrests and detentions without dialogue. The PF government must just come to terms with the issue by engaging the people of Barotseland in dialogue which is transparent and not clandestine and suspicious overtures,” he said.