Africa-Press – Zambia. The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has said that it is appalled at videos showing military personnel assaulting unidentified youths for purportedly insulting the President of the Republic of Zambia.
In a statement issued to the media by LAZ Honorary Secretary Sokwani Peter Chilembo, the association noted that military weapons are also seen in one of the said videos, being used to intimidate the said youths.
Mr Chilembo charged that regardless of the behaviour exhibited by the youths, Zambia has sufficient laws in place to deal with such conduct, stating that the institution bestowed with the constitutional power to effect arrests over such conduct, and possibly prosecute, is the Zambia Police Service, acting in liaison with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“There is no law that gives military personnel power to mete instant penalties on erring members of society’” Mr. Chilembo explained, further stating that the conduct exhibited by the military personnel, who are identifiable in one of the videos, is illegal, inhumane, degrading and undermines the Rule of Law and Constitutionalism in the country.
Mr Chilembo further noted that military personnel in Zambia play a key role, and their importance cannot be overemphasized, but that no one is above the law, and under no circumstances must any citizen, let alone men and women in uniform, take the law into their own hands and mete out street justice.
“Therefore, it is LAZ’s strong view that such conduct by military personnel on private citizens should immediately be redressed by the Military Command,” he added. Below is the full statement
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