Maravi

Police making headway in ‘Sata death' rumours probe - Malama

Police making headway in ‘Sata death' rumours probe - Malama
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tue 14 Feb. 2012, 13:01 CAT

INSPECTOR General of Police Dr Martin Malama says law enforcement agencies have made great headway in probing the source of the rumour posted online recently that President Michael Sata was dead.

And former Petauke district MMD youth chairman Martin Tembo says he is going to 'deal' with PF cadres that allegedly assaulted him at Petauke's Olga Nightclub recently.

Dr Malama told The Post in an interview that it was very unwise for the person who posted the rumour online.

"It's an operational issue, which I would not want to divulge at this stage. Of course I know where we are, but I wouldn't want to divulge. But yes, we have made great headways," said Dr Malama when asked for an update on the investigation.

The IP for the online item that was traced to the free online encyclopaedia Wikipedia was traced to Europe and the Zambia Communication and Technology Authority ZICTA indicated that investigative wings were dealing with the issue.

And in an interview, Tembo, who claims to be a farmer from senior chief Kalindawalo's area in Petauke, said he was assaulted by two male PF cadres following an argument from a Lusaka-based female PF cadre.

"I went to Olga with my children. I wanted to have some meal. I was putting on an MMD T-shirt. When I arrived at Olga, I went straight to the counter and when I asked for the food which I wanted to eat, the cashier told me to wait so that they can go and check," Tembo said.

He said as he was waiting, two male PF cadres wearing party T-shirts approached him, and one stood on his right and the other on his left.

Tembo said after asking him if he had watched the match between Chelsea and Liverpool and upon his response that he was not aware of the game, he heard a female voice asking why MMD cadres were being allowed to go to Olga.

"She was shouting to say, 'you can allow MMD cadres come here with a T-shirt for the MMD but when they were in power they were beating us too much. So this is our time to revenge'," Tembo said.

"Then the one who was on my left side got hold of my hand and twisted it and the one who was on the right side started hitting me in the ribs."

Tembo said he was slapped when he queried what he had done to receive a beating from the duo and that they dragged him to where his car was parked and that upon seeing him being roughed up, his children started crying.

He said he reported the matter to Petauke Police Station, but that the police told him they could only open a docket in the matter once they had received a signed medical report.

Tembo said he had already been to the hospital but that the medical report was yet to be signed by the doctor.

As Tembo was recounting his ordeal, some local residents were heard saying that when the MMD was in power, he used to harass people in the same manner he was harassed at Olga.

Olga Nightclub is the point where most of the PF cadres and officials involved in the forthcoming Msanzala by-election campaign are camped.

Labels: DEATH THREATS, MICHAEL SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:56 PM