Police in Lusaka have allegedly beaten up the Proprietor of Komboni Radio Ms. Lesa Kasoma.
Ms Kasoma was beaten and allegedly stripped naked by three police officers on Wednesday in Kamwala area where the studios of Komboni Radio are situated.
The Women’s Lobby Group has expressed shock at the incidence and charged that the behavior of police was unacceptable.
Below is the statement by Women’s Lobby Group to Zambian Eye:
The Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) is appalled by the latest incident of police brutality involving Komboni Radio Proprietor Ms. Lesa Kasoma. Ms Kasoma was on the evening of Wednesday 5th October 2016 allegedly assaulted by three Police Officers in Lusaka’s Kamwala area. It is unacceptable that three male armed police officers can resort to beating and stripping naked one woman as the only way of dealing with whatever situation may have been threatening peace at the time.
Ms. Kasoma is among the many women who have fallen victim to police brutality in 2016. There is little or no information in the public domain on punitive action, legally or otherwise taken against the erring officers.
The lack of or unknown action on previous cases involving erring police officers has given way to impunity among some indisciplined police officers who feel that they can inflict harm on innocent citizens without any consequences.
The ZNWL therefore implores the police command through the Inspector General of Police Mr. Kakoma Kanganja to put an end to police brutality by acting decisively on erring officers. Continued reports of police brutality are denting the image of the service and will further reduce the confidence that the public has in the institution.
We are aware that the police service has different levels of engagement in the maintenance of law and order and force is the last resort, we therefore expect the police officers to exhaust all the other avenues before resorting to inflicting bodily harm on citizens.
Ms.Beauty Katebe
ZNWL National Board Chairperson