THE ZAMBIA Police Service says Sean Tembo was the architect of his prolonged detention because both him and his lawyer were not available for the police to complete the charge formalities.
The Facebook-busy leader of the opposition Patriots for Economic Progress president had been picked up and detained at Woodlands Police Station from Thursday until yesterday when he was finally charged with hate speech. Upon release,
Tembo said police had abducted and held him hostage for five days when they could have charged him within an hour. But in a statement to #Kalemba yesterday,
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Tembo’s detention was lawful. “Following his [Tembo] detention on Friday the 2nd September, 2022, Police were ready to formally charge and arrest Tembo.”
“However, the suspect requested for his lawyer to be present as it is his constitutional right to have legal representation,” Hamoonga said.
Hamoonga revealed that Tembo’s lawyer never came to the police station until Monday, and when he finally did show up, Police were set to lay charges on the suspect to formalise procedures but his lawyer delayed the process again as he raised concerns that his client was ill, hence Tembo was taken to Chilenje Level One Hospital.
“At the hospital he was seen by a Medical Doctor and later put on bed rest for three hours from 12:00 to 15:00 hours yesterday the 5th September, 2022.”
“Mr Tembo remained under police custody till when he was discharged after the expiration of his three hours bed rest as prescribed by the Doctor,” Hamoonga added.
Hamoonga further clarified that upon being taken back to the Police station, Tembo’s lawyer got engaged with other duties halting yet again the police from proceeding with the formalities as the accused’s lawyer was not available.
“We wish to state that as a law enforcement agency we had no intentions of detaining Mr Sean Tembo or any other citizen beyond the legal stipulated period,” Hamoonga added.
The Police’s mouthpiece further disclosed that In the early morning of yesterday, Police in the presence of Mr Sean Tembo’s lawyer formally charged and arrested him for the offence of Hate Speech.
The charge is Contrary to Section 65 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 of the Laws of Zambia.
Hamoonga stated that Tembo has since been released on Police bond and will appear in Court soon. He further appealed to the general public to desist from commenting on matters they do not understand or have no facts as this has potential to mislead members of the public.
By Moses Makwaya
Kalemba September 7, 2022
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