Wed, 17 May 2017 09:37:34 +0000
By TAWANDA MUNYUKI
THE failure by authorities to bring to book culprits responsible for the death of Mark Choongwa while in custody is worrying the Human Rights Commission.
The commission has charged that people will continue dying in police custody if cases like the death of Zambia Air force (ZAF) sergeant Mark Choongwa go uninvestigated by the police and other relevant authorities.
The 34-year-old ZAF flight sergeant died in police cells at Woodlands police station in March this year after he was detained for allegedly hitting into a vehicle belonging to police officer in the Nyumba Yanga area.
Human Rights Commission spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya has expressed concern that the police have ignored a call by the HRC to institute investigations into the death of the officer.
‘’People will continue dying whilst in custody if investigations are left hanging without the culprits being brought before the law to be answerable for the death of inmates,’’ he said.
Mr. Muleya said the police were supposed to set up an inquest to determine who was responsible for the death of the sergeant as he died in police custody.
He added that there was enough evidence, according to the findings of the commission, that there was negligence on the part of the police which might have led to the death of Sergeant Choongwa.
Mr. Muleya said that if the culprits in the death of Mr. Choongwa were not brought to book, police brutality concerning people in custody will continue.
‘’What we are forgetting is that if we leave the case hanging with no one found answerable despite a life having been lost, we will continue losing lives of inmates because police will not understand that they are not supposed to beat inmates while they are in custody,’’ he said.
Earlier, the commission had written to the police over the matter that was supposed to be responded to within 30 days.
Mr. Muleya said 30 days had lapsed and yet the death of Mr. Choongwa was a clear violation of a person’s right to life and it should not be taken lightly.
But when contacted for a comment, police spokesperson Esther Katongo maintained that the issue was being handled by the ministries of Home Affairs and Defence and not the police.
And efforts to get a comment from the two ministries failed.
