By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has sued the State claiming damages for malicious prosecution in a case where he was acquitted of treason charges in 2017.
Mr Hichilema who has cited Attorney General Likando Kalaluka as the defendant his seeking an order that all known police officers that conducted themselves in an unprofessional manner during the operation to arrest him and subsquently during his arrest and prosecution be surcharged.
He wants the Lusaka High Court to order the State to pay him damages for malicious, including aggravated and exemplary damages, in respect of the charge of use of insulting language for which he was prosecuted.
He also wants any amount found due to him.
In a statement of claim filed yesterday, Mr Hichilema states that on April 10, 2017 at around 20:00 and 21:30 hours several Zambia Police officers wrongfully and forcefully gained entry of his home without consent, warrant, reasonable and probable cause in an operation to arrest him which lasted until the next day.
He has named some of the officers who entered his home as Martin Musambachime, Arthur Shonga, Mpazi Mubita and Aubrey Hamwene.
Mr Hichilema stated that the unlawful raid conducted as his home during the operation and the brutal and spiteful conduct of the police officers including their acts of looting, damaging of his property was malicious.
