This afternoon, I got a distress call from someone in one of the shanty compounds. His wife was picked up and detained by the police for assaulting someone last Friday.
When he called at the police station this morning to sign a police bond for his spouse, the officer at the reception asked him to pay K400 for stationary before he could process police bond formalities. Now, this is an unemployed person who can hardly afford to put bread and butter on the table for his family……hand to mouth is the order of the day!
He decided to immediately call me to bail him out. I jumped on the roller skates and dashed to the police station. Upon introducing myself, I was ushered into the office of the Criminal Investigations Officer.
I politely recounted to the CIO circumstances that compelled me to be station and reminded him that the President has always insisted that signing a police bond for someone shouldn’t be a complicated matter, let alone charging any suspects money.
It seems I had hit a raw nerve! All of a sudden, the police became defensive, disrespectful and insolent! I stood my ground and told them in no uncertain terms what they were doing was absolutely wrong…..illegal!
“These are just poor folks, you can’t be charging them that much; you’re abusing your authority officers!” I argued.
Seeing that I was flogging a dead horse, I disengaged from the argument and promised them I’ll escalate the matter further.
In the next few days, I’ll be engaging the police top command. We can’t allow a few rogue elements masquerading as police officers to be tarnishing the good image of the police. CIO Kabole and constable Kabungo, I can assure I’ll be on your tail!
Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Political Analyst
Mayeng’u, Zambezi
I am with you, and some seem bot to follow the instructions. Old habits die hard. Keep us posted and if you need help, reach out.
“asked him to pay K400 for stationary before he could process police bond…” Was this transanction receipted? The money must have surely dissappeared into the officer’s pocket. Even if it was receipted it is still ILLEGAL. No law in Zambia asks citizens to pay for police stationery
If you believe this attention seeking individual then i’m afraid you’ll believe anything
You are very misguided my brother; let’s wait for tomorrow. Those corrupt, thieving officers must go! If the Zambia Police spokesman is reading this, he can confirm I reached out to him! Are you hapoy that someone in uniform should continue ribbing our people in this manner?
For once Iam with Kapinga. These policemen think Zambians are a gold mine to be double taxed. I pay tax for police to operate and when I go for what I have paid for they want me to pay extra for stationery? The police IG should be fired!
Or money for petrol if they need to come out to a robbery scene. All Zambians know this… so why is it not being taken care of? All this is corruption which we were promised would be a thing of the past.
The point is the police force is totally defunct and riddled with coruption throughout the whole country
all citizens both men and women are abused on a daily basis,
as too with the traffic officers and RTSA taking money for fitness and printing of licences
So my thought was why highlight one case when this is a national ocurrance and should be taken care of by the president who seems to be preoccupied with his own future,
Tarnishing the ” good image of the Police”? Which good image?
If true report them to the Police high command so that they can be retired under public interest.
Retired? Youre kidding right? That is like rewarding them for bad behaviour. Fire them, full stop. You speak of the Police like they are the only ones that display rogue behaviour. The Public service is littered with such people that think their office is place to display arrogance.