By Benedict Tembo
The Zambia Army and the Zambia Police Service have dispelled allegations that four soldiers were found escorting two trucks loaded with mealie meal and that they were beaten by a mob in Ndola.
In a joint statement by Zambia Army Director of Public Relations and Foreign Liaison Martin Liyungu and his Zambia Police Service counterpart Danny Mwale, the two institutions said no such incident took place.
“We wish to put the records clear to the members of the public of exactly what happened.
On April 26, 2023 around midnight, the Zambia Army in conjunction with other security wings successfully conducted an operation were two trucks loaded with 25 kilogramme bags of mealie meal suspected to have been smuggled were impounded, ” the joint statement said.
The statement said the Zambia Army and the Zambia Police Service have no such report where the military officers were apprehended or beaten by a mob anywhere in the Copperbelt as alleged by some media reports.
It said the impounded trucks are parked at a Police Station in Ndola and the suspects are detained in custody while investigations are ongoing.
“Should investigations reveal that any of our soldiers were involved in escorting the two vessels, the Zambia Army will not hesitate to discipline such elements and the public will be informed accordingly,” read the statement.
Col. Liyungu said the army command was in support of three Infantry Brigade Commander ’s conduct of operation and further urged the troops to continue being alert as they patrol the common border and protect the territorial integrity of Zambia with the added responsibility of curbing mealie meal smuggling.
Those were upnd thugs dressed as police and army. Rotten thugs
Arrest whoever published such a story of “PF thugs beating officers”. Arrest them, Zambia is not Congo.
PF ALWAYS BLAMELESS
Who brought l00ting to unprecidented levels ?
Ba Journalist tiuzeni. What is a common border? Is there also an uncommon border?
Just looking
Thank you but what law is Zambia Police using to arrest motorists who do not stop on disused rail lines in the country, some rail lines which were last used in the 70s. Why is productive time of motorists wasted like that?
“Should investigations reveal that any of our soldiers were involved……..” that automatically tells me soldiers were involved but they are hoping no one will find details but in case some nosey journalist does then they have a cover story.