Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema’s appointee as Deputy Inspector General of Police for Special Duties Mr. Fanwell Siandenge still has aggravated robbery charges pending before the Lusaka Magistrates Court.
This is according to Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) President Sean Tembo who reviewed that in August 2016, Mr. Fanwell Siandenge was charged with an aggravated robbery together with four others, and he proceeded to go on the run while the Zambia Police put up a reward of K100,000 for his capture and arrest.
Mr. Tembo said that his expectation was that even if President Hichilema views the aggravated robbery charges against Mr. Siandenge as politically motivated, he still needed to allow the due process of the law to take its course.
“The correct way of doing things is that Mr. Siandenge should have been arrested and presented before the Lusaka Magistrates Court after which the State should have either dismissed the charges unconditionally or conditionally through a nolle prosequi.
“It is not acceptable for President Hakainde Hichilema to just ignore that Mr. Fanwell Siandenge has aggravated robbery charges pending before the Lusaka Magistrates Court, ” Mr. Tembo said
President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice-President Mutale Nalumango pose for the official photo with the newly appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (Special Duties) at State House Fanwell Siandenge (Second From Left), newly appointed Zambia Correctional Services Commissioner -General Fredrick Chilukutu (l), Senior Private Secretary Wallace Chakawa (r) and Zambia Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner General Kuyomba Bwalya (2nr) during the swearing in ceremony at State House on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANI
Mr. Tembo said that his party is shocked President Hichilema is at the forefront of abrogating the same Constitution that he swore to protect and defend, adding that by appointing a fugitive from the law the President has not only breached the Constitution but has also seriously undermined our criminal justice system.
Mr. Tembo further said that the fact that the Police did not arrest Mr. Siandenge when he showed up to be sworn in as Deputy IG at State House, despite there being an active warrant for his arrest, means that the Zambia Police Service in particular and law enforcement agencies in general will not be allowed to operate freely under President Hakainde Hichilema’s tenure of office and that it also means that the President’s colorful speech during his inauguration about allowing law enforcement agencies to operate freely was mere rhetoric.
Mr. Tembo called upon the Zambia Police Service to immediately arrest Mr. Fanwell Siandenge and present him before the Lusaka Magistrates Court. “If the State wants to drop the charges against Mr. Siandenge, it should be done properly and in compliance with the Criminal Procedure Code Act, Cap 88 of the Laws of Zambia.
“It is unacceptable for President Hakainde Hichilema to undermine the laws of the Republic of Zambia just so he can accommodate a particular individual, regardless of whether he feels that the individual in question is not guilty of the offense that he is charged with.
” Mr. Hakainde Hichilema should stop acting like a King and start acting like a Republican President,” Mr. Tembo concluded warrant
