—Residents of Chadiza district in Eastern Province have called upon government to quickly decentralise operations of the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to district level.
Keepson Lungu expressed concern that disposing of criminal cases take too long if they go to the office of the DPP in Lusaka for consent.
Speaking during the Police Open Day in Chadiza today, Mr Lungu said cases that go to the office of the DPP should have a time frame of three to six months, unlike a situation where some cases have stayed for one to two years in the office of the DPP.
Mr Lungu also appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to quickly buy furniture and a motor vehicle for the Criminal Investigations Department at Chadiza Police Station.
He said criminal investigating officers at Chadiza Police Station were failing to follow up some tips and certain cases due to non-availability of transport.
Mr Lungu said out of the total population of about 60,433 people with an area of 2,500 square kilometres, the police in Chadiza have only one vehicle which is being used by all the departments under the police service making it difficult for the CID to be mobile at all times.
The Police Open Day attracted a number of civil servants, NGOs, Parastatals and individuals who were eager to orient themselves on the operations of the Zambia police.