SHAKAFUSWA

By SYLVIA MWEETWA-
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) Katuba Member of Parliament (MP) Jonas Shakafuswa was yesterday interrogated by a team of police officers in Kabwe for allegedly assaulting two Lusaka residents during last month’s parliamentary by-election in his constituency.
The police have since recorded a warn-and-caution statement from Mr Shakafuswa, who was accompanied by his lawyer Collins Chizawu from Kabesha Mulilo and Company.
Mr Shakafuswa, who was scheduled to appear before the team of police officers at 08:00 hours, only arrived at Kabwe Police Station after 10: 30 hours in the company of senior UPND members.
Among those who accompanied him to the police station was UPND secretary general Winstone Chibwe and some family members.
He was taken to the district criminal investigations office where he was interrogated for close to 40 minutes.
After the interrogation, the jubilant MP walked out of the room and later posed for photographs with one of his daughters and some party cadres.
Mr Chizawu said a warn-and-caution statement was recorded, although Mr Shakafuswa was not formally arrested.
He said his client was alleged to have assaulted two residents of Kanyama Township in Lusaka on February 25, 2014, which was the day for the by-election in Katuba.
Central Province commissioner of police Standwell Lungu said the warn-and-caution statement taken from the lawmaker was part of the continuing investigations.
Mr Shakafuswa maintained that he would not be intimidated by any person.
He, however, commended the police for the professional manner in which the interrogation was conducted.
“As you can see do I look intimidated, I am in high spirits,” Mr Shakafuswa said as he walked to greet some party cadres who had gone to the police station to offer solidarity.
He explained that the only crime he had committed was to stop people who had attempted to cause violence after receiving intelligence information that there were some ‘thugs’ planning to beat up people going to vote.
He said such action was meant to create artificial apathy, adding that the information was also shared with police officers.
He denied beating up the two Lusaka residents saying he was a peace-loving person.
Earlier, police in full riot gear were deployed around the police station.
Mr Shakafuswa later told the officers that his party would be in power in 2016.