Maravi

Suspect dies at PHI amid torture reports

COMMENT - Police behaviour and prison conditions need to change.

Suspect dies at PHI amid torture reports
By Joseph Mwenda
Tue 27 Mar. 2012, 12:59 CAT

A 20-year-old suspect has died in police cells at Lusaka's Bennie Mwiinga police station following alleged torture. But Lusaka Province police commissioner Charity Katanga says it was not right to claim that police were responsible for the death of Boniface Mukupa.

And Munali member of parliament Professor Nkandu Luo thanked family members and Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI) residents for remaining calm on Sunday when the incident happened.

According to a police docket recorded at Bennie Mwiinga police station on Sunday, Peter Chilwana of house number 23683 PHI reported a case of burglary and theft involving a laptop valued at K4 million and other items worth about K1 million.

The records indicate that Mukupa was reported to police as a suspect in the company of another man identified as Kelvin at around 06:00 and was formally arrested at 11:00 hours.

"He complained of not feeling well and later started producing white staff from the mouth and was pronounced dead on arrival at the University Teaching Hospital," read the document.

Sources said the suspect was interrogated and beaten after he was reported to police.

"It's like he was beaten before he was arrested and the police also beat him because he was denying the allegations. So he died in police cells. Family members even brought food for the suspect at lunch only to be told that he had died," sources said.

When contacted for a comment, Katanga, who was at the scene, said only a post-mortem would determine the real cause of death.

"It seems the suspect was beaten before he was brought to police but because he died here at the police station, members of the family got aggrieved and demanded that a funeral be held here at the police but we have advised them to wait until a post-mortem is conducted. The problem is that there was no medical examination done on him to see how fit he was before his arrest," said Katanga.

And speaking shortly after she was briefed about the incident, Prof Luo, who is also local government minister, said it was wrong for citizens to take the law into their own hands.

"As area MP, I have offered to contribute to the funeral requirements so that we can give the boy a descent burial. We have spoken to the family members to remain calm until a post-mortem is done," said Luo.

Helpless PHI residents watched as Bennie Mwiinga police station received re-enforcement from other commands to beef up security in the area on Sunday evening.

Labels: NKANDU LUO, POLICE BRUTALITY, TORTURE

posted by MrK @ 7:08 PM