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A DAILY Nation reporter was on Monday evening captured and tortured by Zambia Air Force (ZAF) soldiers assigned to chase away street vendors from the central business district in Lusaka.
Michael Miyoba, a sports reporter, was abused and tortured by the ZAF servicemen despite having identified himself as a journalist.
One female officer reportedly pulled Miyoba’s genitals before slapping him on the face after he had identified himself as a journalist.
The servicemen believed that the reporter had taken pictures of them while they were chasing the vendors from the streets.
“After dropping off from a bus outside Kulima Tower bus station, I found the soldiers and some street vendors engaged in a fracas. Officers from Zambia Air Force were chasing away the street vendors who return to sell their merchandise after working hours.
“As I was passing to go and catch a bus, one officer stopped me and asked me where I was going. I removed my press ID and identified myself as a journalist, which proved to be a grave mistake as other officers surrounded me and requested that I give them my phone thinking that I had taken pictures of them. As I was explaining myself, one officer asked me to do some sit ups which I refused to do. A fat female officer with a big tummy and very light in completion started pulling my manhood saying that journalists are the people who write bad things about them. She pulled my manhood on three occasions before slapping me for refusing to do some roll up on a tarred road,” Miyoba narrated.
“They put me in their van where they poured cold water on me while screaming “Aljazeera Aljazeera.” They took me to the main Post Office where the captured vendors were being taken. There I explained myself and told the officer in charge that I was a journalist from Daily Nation and that I did not do anything wrong. The officer requested for my press ID which I produced,”
“After checking it out the officer said that the press ID had expired but gave me permission to go home.
