The Zambia Police has appealed to members of the public to avoid at all cost taking the law into their own hands in the advent of the prevailing alleged gassing of households in Lusaka.
Police spokesperson Ester Katongo said that this call comes in the wake of some attacks on members of the public in Lusaka’s Middle West area where some members of the public descended on innocent people suspected to be behind the alleged gassing in the area.
“In the early hours of today, 11th February, 2020 around 02 hours, a Toyota Corolla with unknown registration number was burnt by a mob in Middle West in Lusaka after suspecting the occupants to be behind the gassing,” Ms. Katongo Said.
“However, the driver of the same motor vehicle managed to escape.” She added.
And the Police spokesperson added that the same night another Toyota Corolla white in color which was booked from Matero driven by Raymond Nkhoma aged 25 of Matero had its front and rear windscreen damaged by a mob.
Ms Katongo further explained that also recorded was an attack on Wilson Shiyachele aged 34 of Mumbwa who was beaten by a mob on similar suspicions and sustained deep cuts in the head and a swollen face.
“This occurred on 11th February, 2020 around 01 hours and was however rescued by a joint patrol team of police officers and neighborhood watch members and was rushed to Hospital,” Ms. Katongo disclosed.
She has since reminded members of the public that whenever they apprehend any suspected criminal, they should surrender them to police to allow police officers to investigate the allegations.
Meanwhile, Ms Katongo has dismissed information circulating that nine people have died in Lusaka as a result of gassing and has urged members of the public to ignore such information and treat it as false news.
She reiterated that the earlier position stated by the Inspector General of Police in his statement earlier issued that Police officers are on the ground with a view of verifying reports of gassing which have been received so far from members of the public.
Ms Katongo added that the Police have not ignored the reports from members of the public and have already launched investigations in the matter.
She has further stated that as a preventive measure, the police command has increased on the number of police officers deployed in areas where incidences of the alleged gassing have been reported and have placed all other areas on high security alert.
Please Esther Katongo, share with us what those victims of instant justice were doing that time of night or early hours. It would help if members of the public knew that those suspects were actually coming from or going to work or any reasonable explanation, and save them from suspicious mobs. Meantime people must support the police to get to the bottom of this thing.
UPND?
Teti impape….
Why ZP is dismissing the reports of these events something is going on with this government
Wait and see this year is a year to disclose all those practicing evil and it is for this reason that any attempt of gassing it is proved to be futile. God is on our side and justice will prevail.
This is not a joke. It is a serious matter. There is a reason we have trained officers of the law. It is very ignorant to take the law in your own hands. You are not only risking your life but also the lives of others by using mob justice. We know there is a political element to this from the intelligence we have received. A few rotten eggs want to create a false sense of confusion in the country for political mileage. Some here even wished me death and falsely alleged I have HIV when I disclosed I was not feeling well. This is how evil opposition can be in Zambia. Over my dead body , there will be no change of government in 2021. Kz
Our ZP is quick to dismiss serious things, these dull chaps by dismissing those things you literally giving the perpetrators more time to kill more people by the time you wake up 10 people are dead that is why citizens are taking matters into their own hand. You can’t dismiss something you haven’t thoroughly investigated. It’s too premature, you also not very transparent with the citizens
This is a very serious matter which if not handled professionally and efficiently may turn into a disaster. The feelings and emotions of those affected must not be ignored. As much as the police are doing the best they must communicate professionally and provide adequate information so that the community are reassured and do not act on speculations. Whenever you do not give adequate and well crafted information people resort to wrong sources and fill in the information gap. Usually wrong conspiracy theories. God bless Zambia and it’s people.
I see some inconsistencies with the statement of her boss who dismissed reports of gassings.
Government is behind these nonsense of gassing innocent people.kz don’t ask us to pray for you please your seer 1 is still alive come to SA and kneel down for his powers
Mob justice is the best way .Men who gasses people around should be burnt to death with no mercy once they are caught .
@Mr P. You’re evil. They should burn you to death instead. You and your family are behind the gassing.
How do you feel about that now?
PF caders are behind the gassing to bring confusion in the country
But why are they walking around 02 hours? At that odd time you become a suspect. Better stay home and be safe
Lusambo has failed to control his thugs.
The big problem here is that the Police is not forthcoming with information, e.g.
In the night of 3rd February Police in Chingola arrested Mr. Mwaba Mukuma with a loaded pistol, suspicious powders and lots of cash.
This Mukuma is a known PF cadre and the Police said this suspect was taken to Lusaka for further interrogations.
Later a report published by UPND said that this criminal Mukuma was released.
POLICE HAVE REMAINED MUTE AND HAVEN’T COUNTERED THE MWABA MUKUMA RELEASE ALLEGATION. THERE HAS BEEN NO UPDATE ON THIS KEY ARREST.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A RECIPE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THE LAW IN THEIR OWN HANDS; BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE PERCEIVED TO BE SIDING WITH CRIMINALS.
We need to educate our populations. This idea that even the police can be quoted as seeing people turn into cats is what is making our populations powerless and paranoid. Mention the gas, too. Trust me, you are creating mass hysteria by deciding that it is a state secret. Ni zanu izo.
Catch the h*****s and burn them. Sometimes I question the police and government.
Kaizer mob justice awaits you, just pray that you nobody finds you, otherwise you are a marked person, it is just a matter of time
Nkani Yama gases pa Zed – what a circus of a country!
Zambia today is what happens to a country that forsakes Education and embraces Religion and Ignorance! God says it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge!
Lets all pray for this nation for this evilsh gassing houses to stop its too much. Whats going on in this country nkashi? this have just become bad This world is becoming to an end just like the Mesiah Prophesyd . Lets all be conscious all the time, Be careful and take care.
Don`t take things personal.
am not supporting anyone but due to the fact that 2021 we are voting this is the time that people campaign to win peoples minds..the question that we need to ask ourselves is that, is this gassing and seer 1 favouring the ruling gov? if not then who? the ruling gov has been brought to its knees and I wonder how they can campaign. one thing I know is that this is not the gvments doing…may the blood shed during this period speak against its killers.
So why isn’t the government questioning the captured killers to find out who is paying them? Why are they releasing them like they did in 2016?
Could the funder be the same guy who owns the 48 houses?
I hope my thinking is wrong otherwise this issue is very suspicious