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LAZ asks police to take action against MMD ‘gang-rapists’

LAZ asks police to take action against MMD ‘gang-rapists’
By Patson Chilemba and Masuzyo Chakwe
Mon 25 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

LAW Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Stephen Lungu has asked police to take action against the MMD 'gang-rapists' who have threatened to rape FDD president Edith Nawakwi.

And Lungu said it was very unfortunate for Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde to express ignorance that threatening violence was not an offence.

Commenting on Nawakwi's formal complaint to the police over threats by MMD thugs to rape her, Lungu said offences such as the one MMD cadres had committed should never be allowed to go unabated.

“And it is our hope that with the complaint that has been lodged with the police, according to press reports, that the police will take action against the perpetrators of this offence, because you see, if such kind of offences go unabated, we are going to have anarchy in this land,” Lungu said. “Because then people will be getting up and people will be committing offences, and they will be getting away with it.”
Lungu said the statement attributed to Kabonde over the matter was unfortunate.

“The statement attributed to the inspector general did indicate that he said it was not an offence, but it is an offence to threaten violence under Section 90,” said Lungu. “I am hoping that he was misquoted because it is unfortunate situation. I'm just hoping that maybe upon reflection, and taking a retrospective look at the whole issue, and may be upon giving advice, he will come up with a different position.”

Lungu said threatening violence was an offence, punishable by imprisonment.
And Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) executive director Chilufya Siwale called upon the government to enact the gender-based violence bill immediately.

“What a term! We would like to condemn these remarks in the strongest terms and register our disappointment because these are leaders in society who have a moral obligation to educate the nation on the dangers of gender-based violence, its causes and effects on the victims. The current happenings are retrogressive to all the good work that government and the civil society like YWCA have been doing,” she said. “Our leaders need to realise that they have a duty to protect the citizens regardless of who the victim is. Leaders must be champions of good leadership qualities, which include integrity, wisdom and conduct. The YWCA implements programmes and activities that aim at preventing violence and protecting victims including ensuring that perpetrators of violence are prosecuted.”

Siwale said those remarks were injuring the preventive measures that had been implemented so far.
“We also feel the response by the inspector general, while appreciating that these are civil matters and not statutory, may encourage more violence to the person concerned and to the public at large. We feel the IG has a moral obligation to educate the nation that violence whether committed or planned should be condemned. We also call upon government to enact the gender-based violence bill immediately,” said Siwale.

MMD Lusaka Province youth chairperson Chris Chalwe, in the company of other party cadres, recently threatened that they would gang-rape Nawakwi following her critical views on governance issues.
But Kabonde said the threat by MMD cadres did not constitute an offence.

However, police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso contradicted his boss, saying threatening violence was actually an offence.

“Under Section 90 of the Penal Code of the Laws of Zambia, threatening violence is a criminal offence like any other offences contained therein. In fact, any person who commits this offence is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for five years with hard labour,” stated Kapeso.

Kabonde has up to now not retracted his statement on the matter.

Labels: CADRES, EDITH NAWAKWI, LAZ, POLITICAL VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 9:13 AM