Kalabo man sues for brutality

–Kalabo Boma Local Court  heard how a 28-year-old suspect was hospitalised after being alleged to have been brutalized by Zambia Police for being accused of setting ablaze a house of a  man accused of practicing witchcraft.

This is a case in which Mankinka Mayembe 28, of Kamihzi village in Kalabo District sued Nyambe Muhongo 43, of the same village for compensation for the brutality he suffered at the hands of the police which ended him in hospital.

The plaintiff believed he suffered police brutality because the defendant reported the matter to police.

Facts before Magistrate Munyunda Nyambe sitting with Magistrate Agness Chambwa were that on 5th September 2014, Muhongo attended a traditional ceremony in the village where villagers invited a witch finder to scrutinize everybody following the death of a woman who they believed had been bewitched.

After the witch finder had performed his duties, it was alleged that Muhongo was behind the death of the woman and it was after this gathering that unknown people set ablaze his house.

Unknown villagers reported Mayembe to police as a suspect and was picked and detained which later ended him in hospital as he alleged that it was because of police brutality.

During cross-examination the accused denied having reported the matter to police adding that he did not know that Mayembe was the suspect.

In passing judgment Magistrate Nyambe wondered whether the plaintiff was right to have sued the defendant as though he was the one that brutalized him.

He said the plaintiff had sued a wrong person and advised him to sue the police since they were the ones he alleged had brutalized him.

The court dismissed the matter and advised any of the two to appeal to the higher court if they were not happy with the judgment.