Musenge thrown out

Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

I WAS thrown out of Chimbokaila prison by prison warders like a gate crusher when I went to visit the incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, former Copperbelt minister Mwenye Musenge has complained.

And the Zambia Correctional Service commissioner General, Percy Chato has dared Musenge to lodge his complaint to the court of law if he felt agrieved, saying Mr. Musenge should not expect to visit inmates at correctional centres anyhow without following the laid down procedures.

In an interview, Mr. Musenge alleged that some senior officials instructed prisoner warders to block him from visiting the incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema on Friday.

Mr. Musenge accused some top officials of having called and threatened a named prison warder to flash him out of the correctional centre before he could visit Mr. Hichilema.

He explained that they were allowed in and only managed to meet Obvious Mwaliteta, but immediately when he was about to meet Mr. Hichilema, the prisoner warder flashed him out without an explanation.

“After we were allowed in, of course we only managed to meet Obvious Mwaliteta. But unfortunately when I was in the process of meeting HH, I was quickly flashed out.

“I only saw the officer (prisoner warder) receiving what seemed to be a very threatening call and he quickly flashed me out without any explanation. Its quiet sad that we were not even allowed to greet HH,” Mr. Musenge said.

Mr. Musenge said it was unfortunately that despite the court order that people should be allowed to visit Mr. Hichilema, some top officials were defying orders.

But the Zambia Correctional Service commissioner General who was a bit reluctant to comment on the matter dared Mr. Musenge to lodge his complaint to the court if he felt aggrieved.

Mr. Chato who could not refute nor agree with Mr Musenge’s accusations said according to the prison Act, there were lain down procedures when visiting inmates.

“Every visit is subjected to Prison Act 97, no one is allowed to come anyhow without following the laid down procedures.

“You know there is a court order already and I wouldn’t want to comment further, but if Hon. Musenge is aggrieved, let him lodge his complaint to the court of law and then we will explain why he was turned away because we can’t start explaining on the media an issue which a court gave an order.

“The truth is, you don’t expect to visit inmates at correctional centres anyhow without following the laid down procedures,” Mr. Chato said.