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A 49 year old man of Matero Township in Lusaka this morning repeatedly broke down before the Legal and Justice Sector Reform Commission when he narrated how he allegedly lost his potency due to police torture.
The petitioner submitted to the Commission that a named police officer at Matero Police Station tortured him resulting in him losing his potency.
Sealled Katwamba, a retrenchee failed to hold his emotions when he narrated how a police officer he had differed with in a personal matter implicated him in an aggravated robbery case .
He said he was brutality manhandled and tortured at Matero police station.
Mr. Katyamba told the Commission that he was tortured and forced to accept that he committed the crime which he did after he could not handle the pain and was later admitted to the University Teaching Hospital where he spent months to recover.
He disclosed that upon being discharged from the hospital the police officers re-arrested him but that he was only saved by lawyers from the Legal Resources Foundation who took the case to court where he was compensated K10 million (old currency) which he said was not worth his lost potency.
The petitioner who has a speech impairment (stammers) disclosed that because of too much torture to his private parts he can no longer have children.
When asked whether he has ever been to UTH for a medical check up to see if his potency could be restore, Mr. Katyamba cried further saying he does not want to see the hospital because of the psychological effects it has on him.
Commissioner Emily Sikazwe calmed the petitioner down while her colleagues and members of the public who were in attendance looked solemn with others almost breaking down in sympathy.
Mr Katyamba disclosed that the two police officers who were involved in his case were transferred to Kafue and Kitwe and that no disciplinary action was taken against them.
And Mr. Katyamba said the Anti-Corruption Commission should be part of police officers at roadblocks to curb corruption.
Commenting on the matter, Commissioner Geoffrey Sakulanda noted that despite Mr Katyamba’s case having been addressed by the courts the Human Rights Commission should be informed so that action can be taken against the police officers in their individual capacities for violating human rights.
Meanwhile, a former Employee of the Human Rights Commission has disclosed that the Commission has no capacity to carry out its mandate of preventing human rights violations and following up cases.
Speaking when he made his submission before the Fredrick Chomba led commission, Samuel Kasanka disclosed that the Human Rights Commission has no presence in most districts and that it was faced with the challenge of inadequate funding and low staffing levels.
Mr. Kasanka noted that due to its failure to discharge its duties to the expectation of the people, Zambians have lost confidence in the Commission.
He further submitted that the Human Rights Commission was aware that the Law enforcement agencies use torture to force suspects to confess which he said was a violation of human rights.
