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Know your Rights I Legal Advisor
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Police
Torture Mad man to death
By Monica Kunda
A police officer of Airport police post in Mongu beat up a mad person to
death for picking up two packets of Vanilla biscuit.
Narrating the ordeal to Mongu legal advice centre Mwangala Sifu the brother
to the deceased Mukata Sifu said in the morning of August 17 this year
Mukata left home to roam the streets as usual.
Whilst away it was alleged that he picked up two packets of Vanilla Biscuits
worth K3000.00 from a makeshift store.
Mukata had consumed some of the biscuits when he was confronted by Mooka the
owner of the makeshift store who took him to Airport police post.
When he reached the police Post Constable Kapokoso ordered him to pay
K5000.00 for the biscuits and when he failed to pay he was beaten up and
detained at the same police post and was released the same day.
In the Evenings when he went back home, he had swollen legs, hands, head and
had chest pains. He complained to the nephew whom he was staying with that
he was beaten by the said Police Officer.
From August 17 when he was beaten he was not feeling well until on September
4, 2002, when he became seriously ill. He was taken to Lewanika General
Hospital where he died the following day.
It was at this point that Mwangala decided to seek legal Advice on what he
could do to the police officer and the person who took Mukata to the Police
Post.
Joe Mulafulafu a paralegal Officer at that centre advised him to be calm and
request that a Post-mortem be conducted.
The post-mortem was conducted by Dr Habimana from Lewanika General Hospital
on September 10, 2002 and was witnessed by family members, the Police and
other interested parties. The results of the post-mortem reveal that Mukata
died of some impact on his head and left side of the hand, part of the
chest, with his Lungs filled with blood.
Mwangala said the officer handling the matter refused to give them the post
mortem report claiming that he was still investigating the case.
After the post mortem Kapokoso tried to call for mediation between the
relatives of the deceased and the person who caused Mukata's death but the
relatives refused.
Mukata was a teacher by profession and was teaching at Kanyonyo basic
School. He later developed a mental problem and was awaiting for his
retirement on medical grounds.
Mongu Legal Advice Centre is handling the matter. |
