POLICE DRAMA
THE conduct of the Zambia Police Service has in the last few days brought out what it is lacking and why the public has no confidence in the men and women in uniform – professionalism.
The manner in which it has handled the complaint and subsequent interrogation of Ms Saboi Imboela, the National Democratic Congress leader is a clear abuse of the justice system.
Ms Imboela has become the latest political figure to be subjected to what can only be described as police incompetence.
Ms Imboela, after being locked up from Tuesday was released yesterday after police played out their drama that was clearly meant to please their political masters.
It has become the modus operandi of the police when dealing with matters involving opposition figures – lock them up for days on end and deny them police bond.
The drama started at the weekend when Police Officers tried to pick Ms Imboela from her house early in the morning.
In a clear case of the “right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing,” Ms Imboela had been summoned days earlier to report at the Force headquarters for questioning on Tuesday.
Thus Ms Imboela ignored the officers who camped in her neighbourhood hoping to catch her napping – which they did not.
The drama picked up on Tuesday when she presented herself at the police headquarters and that is when the officers tried to show who was the boss.
Twenty-two police officers on Tuesday took turns in interrogating and questioning Ms Imboela in a matter in which State House Media Director Clayson Hamasaka had reported her to the police for criminal defamation and hate speech.
When Ms Imboela arrived at Police Force Headquarters, she was immediately whisked upstairs where, for hours, 12 police officers took turns interrogating her over some of her Facebook postings.
They explained that the first interrogation session was about the allegations of defamation which was suddenly changed to criminal libel and that the idea was to ensure she spent a night in police cells.
The sources narrated that during interrogation, it was realised that it was difficult to break her and it was at that time that the powers that be advised the police to assemble another set of police officers to interrogate her on another matter of hate speech.
They said Ms Imboela was then taken downstairs in another room where 10 police officers were waiting for her.
Police and family sources from Force Headquarters confirmed that Ms Imboela, who was detained at Kabwata Police station was interrogated by 22 police officers on two separate cases of hate speech and criminal defamation against Mr Hamasaka.
The sources said the 22 police officers were methodically assembled in an attempt to tire and wear Ms Imboela down so as to force a submission from her.
It is also not surprising that despite Ms Imboela having met all the bail conditions on Tuesday, the police officers who were handling the matter mysteriously disappeared just when her bail was to be signed.
Police Inspector General Lemmy Kajoba must explain why they have ignored the explicit instructions from President Hakainde Hichilema not to lock people up until they have done their investigations.
Are there some rogue units in the service?