By ADRIAN MWANZA
Archbishop Alick Banda has appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to prevail upon the police to stop arbitrary arrests and torture of victims.
He has pleaded that detained Shebby Chilekwa, the ex-barber of former Republican President Edgar Lungu, who according to lawyer Makebi Zulu is passing blood and has lost hearing, be allowed to receive medical attention.
Last week, UPND cadres complained that National Youth Chairperson for administration Stephen Chikota was brutalised by Police for storming a mine in Mansa.
Archbishop Banda was commenting on reports of police detentions and torture disclosed by his lawyers and said it was imperative that investigations were instituted immediately against those involved in torturing him.
He said the law guided that a person shall not be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading punishment or like treatment.
Archbishop Banda called on the interrogators to respect the law and human rights as guided by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Government he said should consider allowing lawyers and medical personnel to visit Mr Chilekwa, the person suspected to have killed Mr Lawrence Banda in Kaoma in 2019.
He said the recent detention of former president Edgar Lungu’s Aide de Camp Chisanga Chanda was another drawback as he was forced to record a warn and caution in the absence of his legal counsel which infringed his human rights.
Archbishop Banda warned that the dangerous and ominous development would have a negative impact on Zambia as a democratic country.
He warned that the development of impunity would be difficult to remove if entrenched as even those who felt they were safe would be targeted at some point.
Archbishop Bishop said that it was only right for the authorities to treat Mr Chilekwa with dignity and ensure that he was not victimised while in incarceration.
He said the reports of arbitrary police torture were disturbing and as a country there was need to uphold the rule of law.
Archbishop Banda said the police and other law enforcement agencies needed to be sincere by ensuring that humanity came first regardless of an individual’s social status.
Meanwhile Mr Chilekwa’s lawyers have obtained a court order to have access to their client who has lashes on his back, ears, blood in his urine and general body pains.
Prior to obtaining the court order, Mr Zulu had written to the Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba demanding for the release of his clients who had spent nights in detention without being charged.
