By NATION REPORTER
CHILUFYA Tayali, who is under police dentation was brutally assaulted by the police following his arrest from his residence after tear canisters were thrown in his premises like ammos.
And Dr Fred M’membe, the Socialist Party president says Mr Tayali was so badly beaten that he is in need of urgent medical attention.
Mr Tayali, Economic and Equity Party (EEP) president was arrested on Sunday and was taken to Masumba Police Post in Chilanga for allegedly claiming that President Hakainde Hichilema knows the people who were involved in the infamous gassing acts, lawyer Makebi Zulu has disclosed.
Dr M’membe said that it was unfortunate that the police went and picked Mr Tayali like a common criminal after teargassing his residence from which he was fished out like a common criminal.
“I met him (Tayali) and he was badly beaten and his face is swollen. This is barbarism because there was no reason for such brutality. The police should have allowed him to report himself to the police rather than the manner they picked him up,” Dr M’membe said.
Dr M’membe also condemned the arbitrary arrest of two MUVI Journalists, Innocent Phiri and his cameraman Obvious Kapumba who were arrested while on duty covering the arrest of Mr Tayali.
On Sunday Police stormed Mr Tayali’s house and allegedly tear gassed his family before taking him away to Chilanga where they had kept him but without charge.
The police in the process arrested and detained Muvi Television journalist Innocent Phiri and his Camera person Obvious Kapunda who were on the scene filming the incident as it unfolded.
Makebi Zulu Mr Tayali’s said it was unfortunate that the police were using barbaric tendencies when dealing with people who were exercising their rights of freedom of speech and association.
“The police thought that we are not going to know that they have hidden him somewhere in Chilanga. We are however doing everything possible to secure his release,” Mr Zulu said.
He said that they were trying to prepare all the legal documentation to ensure that his client was not endangered in any way.
Mr Zulu of Makebi Zulu Advocates said that the police raid on Mr Tayali’s house was illegal because his client was ready to surrender himself to the police without being brutally arrested as if he was a wanted criminal.
Mr Zulu said there was no need for the police to bundle his client and in the process even teargassing his family as if he was a common criminal.
“It is unfortunate that the police are overriding their powers by using excessive force on an individual that was not harmed and was willing to present himself in the presence of his legal team,” he said.
And Mr Tayali said that the police were under strict orders from their authorities and that they were determined to do anything to ensure he was detained.
He said the main reason for his arrest was his revelations that President Hichilema knew about the people who were involved in the gassing that rocked the country prior to the 2021 general elections.
Mr Tayali also claimed that his arrest was triggered by his comments on government’s decision to subcontract Grant Thornton and Price Waters and Coopers, the foreign private firm to audit Zambia’s Defence and Security Wings.
