UPND member sues state for K240, 000 for unlawful imprisonment

A UPND member who was arrested at Government Complex for disorderly conduct on allegation of a graffiti “Free HH” written on the wall in one of the toilets has sued the State, demanding K240, 000 special damages for unlawful imprisonment.

Mwanakatwe Sikasula claims that he was wrongfully arrested in 2017, detained and denied police bond at Lusaka Central Police Station and was later on transferred to Kamwala Remand Correctional Facility for 15 days.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mr Sikasula said that he was at one of the ablution blocks at Government complex when he heard people screaming on top of their voices.

He adds that before he could make sense of what was being said, he was grabbed by several people accusing him of having written the said graffiti. This was during the times when President Hakainde Hichilema, then as opposition UPND leader, had been in prison for over two months on allegations of treason.

Mr Sikasula lamented that he was roughed up like a common criminal and dragged to the main reception of the building where he was forced to sit on the floor for a period of time.

He said while this was happening, several people gathered around while others attempted to beat him calling him all sorts of names that are unpleasant, with others taking pictures and videos of him.

He said that the embarrassing ordeal was even streamed live on Facebook by some people.

Mr Sikasula contended that he was wrongfully and without reasonable or probable cause arrested by a Zambia Police office detective sergeant.

He alleged that he later developed a skin condition that caused the inflammation of his skin all over the body which was treated at Sikanze Hospital and prescribed procaine penicillin and hydrocortisone for treatment.