. Katanga

By REBECCA MUSHOTA and RABECCA CHIPANTA –
A POLICE officer in Lusaka is nursing injuries in hospital after he was beaten by members of the public who allegedly found him stealing from a house in John Laing Township.
And a female police officer of Kansenshi Police station in Ndola was yesterday assaulted by a taxi driver after she impounded his motor vehicle which was found to have defects.
The officer in Lusaka, who has not been identified yet, was caught around 02:00 hours on Thursday in the company of other people allegedly stealing in John Laing.
The public then descended on him and beat him up until he was taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said the officer was caught in the company of a civilian by members of the public.
Ms Chanda said the officer was beaten by the public and later taken to UTH where he was nursing injuries.
“We have launched investigations to establish what he was doing there,” she said.
Ms Chanda did not give details of his names and the police station he operated from.
Lusaka Province police chief Nelson Phiri referred all queries to the UTH public relations officer who could not be reached by Press time.
The members of the public in John Laing said the officer was at the time of the incident dressed in his uniform and had carried an identification card.
In the Ndola case, Copperbelt police commissioner Charity Katanga said the driver of the Toyota Spacio, registration ADD 1667, David Malibata, 25, of Lubuto charged at the officer after she impounded his motor vehicle after being found with various defects.
“I can confirm that we have such a report when police officers were conducting their duties.
“The motor vehicle was found with defects, so the officer is said to have been going with the driver to the police station when he diverted and attacked her with an iron bar on the forehead,” she said.
Ms Katanga said the officer was rushed to Ndola Central Hospital for observation as she sustained injuries and a swollen forehead.
“The driver is currently in custody and has been charged with driving an uninsured motor vehicle without a licence and also driving a vehicle with worn out tyres.
“He has also been charged with failure to obey traffic rules,” she said.