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Kabimba opposes Kabonde's ‘no bond' directive

Kabimba opposes Kabonde's ‘no bond' directive
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 16 Sep. 2011, 13:55 CAT

FRANCIS Kabonde's decree that persons accused of electoral violence should not be given police bond will lead to abuse, according to Wynter Kabimba. In his letter to Kabonde, the Inspector General of Police, dated September 13, 2011, Kabimba, a Lusaka-based lawyer of WM Kabimba and Company, described the directive as arbitrary.

"On Wednesday 7th September 2011, while addressing police officers in Lusaka you issued a directive to the effect that no person arrested for an offence relating to violence during the run-up to the 20th September 2011 elections should be granted police bond by the police. Although police bond is granted at the discretion of the arresting officer, once the suspect has shown that he is of fixed abode and unlikely to commit the same offence or tamper with witnesses, police bond is almost a matter of right under our legal system," stated Kabimba, who is also secretary general of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).

"Your decree is, therefore, arbitrary and will only lead to abuse and unreasonable exercise of police discretion against individual liberties as provided for in our constitution."

Kabimba copied his letter to the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission.
Zambians will hold presidential, parliamentary and local government elections next Tuesday.

Labels: FRANCIS KABONDE, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 3:48 PM