14 October 2008
Inspector-General of Police, Ephraim Mateyo has directed police officers countrywide to shoot and kill dangerous armed criminals because the law allows them to do so.
Mr Mateyo said in Ndola yesterday that it was the duty of the police to ensure that dangerous criminals were wiped out of circulation.
Speaking during the hand over of the refurbished cells at Ndola Central Police Station yesterday, Mr Mateyo said police officers would not risk their lives by waving handcuffs at armed criminals.
He said police had no other option than to kill armed criminals who were terrorising innocent citizens.
" I am promoting police officers who gun down dangerous criminals because the Police Act clearly states that police officers shall use fire arms in accordance with the law. There is nothing wrong in shooting and killing criminals as long as we do it while observing the law,"he said
And Mr Mateyo warned that police officers should be neutral and non-partisan.
He advised police officers and people living in police camps to desist from political campaigns or distributing campaign materials because they had a duty to remain committed to their work.
He said police officers that wanted to take part in politics were free to do so on condition that they resigned.
Meanwhile, Mr Mateyo challenged members of the public to come up with proof that some members of the Zambia Police Service were being used in election rigging.
" The electoral process is so transparent that leaders of political parties participating in the elections have even been allowed to travel to South Africa to witness the printing of ballot papers, the transportation and distribution," Mr Mateyo said.
He pointed out that during the elections, political parties were allowed to recruit their own agents who are not vetoed by the security wings to scrutinise the ballot boxes before the voting process begins on the election day.
"Members of the public harbouring thoughts that the police officers are involved in rigging should prove at which stage the police are involved," Mr Mateyo said.
And Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Grace Njapau has commended the Zambia Somalia Association and some Ndola-based companies for refurbishing the Ndola Central Police Station cells.
She said the Government was impressed with the manner in which the association came to the aid of the police after a Permanent Human Rights Commission delegation early last year visited the police station and noted that the cells were not fit to be used.
Ms Njapau appealed to business houses to emulate the Somali community in assisting the Government to refurbish police stations and other public infrastructure countrywide.
Zambia Somalia Association chairperson, Hassan Shire said his association spent K198 million for the refurbishment of the cells and painting of the buildings.
In a speech read for him by the association's secretary, Abdullahi Hussein, Mr Shire said the Somali community in Ndola raised the funds for rehabilitation of the cells' roof, replacement of toilet pans and sewer system.
He said the funds were also used for the replacement of doors and inquiries offices furniture and painting the provincial and district police headquarters buildings.
And Copperbelt Province Police chief, Antoneil Mutentwa commended the Zambia Somalia Association for making contributions to the police service which showed that they were genuinely interested in the development of Zambia.
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