By KETRA KALUNGA
POLICE silence on the killing of two youths in Mandevu constituency has shocked area Member of Parliament, Christopher Shakafuswa.
Mr Shakafuswa said it was suspicious that the police waited until he complained to issue a statement on a matter that took place last week Wednesday.
He said it was regrettable that police officers were defying President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive to arrest people after investigations and take them to court as opposed to taking the law into their own hands.
‘’Those youths were killed on Wednesday but it’s shocking that all this while the police has been quiet,’’ he said.
But the police said the two Mandevu youths that were shot dead were among the four suspected criminals who were driving a Nissan Patrol that was being trailed by police after a tip off from the public. Police public spokesperson, Rae Haamonga said the four were being trailed by police patrol vehicles after being alerted by the residents.
Mr Haamonga said in a statement said the suspected criminals who were driving a Nissan Tilda registration number AIC 6983 silver in colour took off upon realising police presence prompting officers to chase after them.
He said the officers fired warning shots when the suspects abandoned the vehicle and ran away, gunning down two of the four suspects in the process while the other escaped.
POLICE STATEMENT…
9th January,2022 -Police on 5th January 2022 received information that they were four suspected criminals driving a Nissan Tilda registration number AIC 6983 silver in colour.Police patrol vehicles who were in the field were alerted and rushed to the scene. Upon realizing the presence of the police the suspects took off prompting the officers to give a chase.
When the suspects noticed that they were being trailed, they immediately sped off with the view to escape. They later on abandoned the vehicle and started running away. It was at this point that the officers fired warning shots and in the process two were maimed and the other two manage to escape. However the two who were shot at were rushed to the hospital and upon arrival they were pronounced dead.
Police officers searched the vehicle they found a new pair of number plates bearing registration number BAC 4401 and unknown instrument which is believed to be the one they use to open the vehicles hidden at the back. The two suspects who manage to ran away went away with unknown type of firearm.
Police investigations have so far revealed that the same Nissan Tilda vehicle was hired from a named care hire company and was being used by the suspected criminals.Police are investigating the matter.
RAE HAMOONGA
ZAMBIA POLICE SERVICE
SPOKESPERSON.
