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NEWS I Letters
To the Editor I Features I
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Know your Rights I Legal
Advisor I
Mansa
police Officers Harass LRF Paralegals Officers
By LRF Reporter
POLICE officers in Mansa are allegedly harassing paralegal officers of Legal
Resources Foundation (LRF) Mansa legal advice centre for writing about them
in The LRF Newsletter.
This came to light when Mansa paralegal officer Evaristo Chanda told The LRF
News that on several occasions Mansa police officers threatened him that
they would teach him a lesson if he continued to give stories to journalists
about them.
Chanda cited two occasions where officers harassed him when he followed
cases of his clients. One case is that of Tarcy Kampamba Chisopo who was
involved in a business dispute with Kanengwa Kuyumba a police officer at
Mansa central police. After they had a dispute, Chisopo was allegedly
detained and accused of obtaining goods by false pretences.
When the matter was reported to Mansa legal advice centre, Chanda followed
it with the police in order to establish the grounds of detention of his
client. When he reached the police station, Kayumba told him that the LRF
was an anti police organisation. He further threatened that if he mentions
his name in the LRF Newsletter, he would be taught a bitter lesson.
A similar incident happened on September 18 2002 when Chanda went to secure
a police bond for a client by the name of Matthew Lukupwa. After the visit
at the police station, the following day a group of police Officers
frequently visited Mansa legal advice centre.
Chanda said some officers who were drunk asked to see him so that he could
be a surety for his client. When they were asked why they were behaving in
that manner, the officers said they wanted to lock Chanda up because he was
making their work difficult. Some officers have accused Mansa paralegals of
masterminding the transfer of Adamson Chikonde the former Officer in Charge
at Mansa central police station.
Chanda considering seeking audience with the second in command at Mansa
Central Police station over the matter.
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