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Police officers behind death of ZAF Officer charged with manslaughter
Four Police officers have been arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Zambia Air Force (ZAF) officer Mark Choongwa who died in Police custody at Woodlands Police station on 18th March,2017.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has told Parliament in a ministerial statement that this follows the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the joint board of inquiry into the death of Flight Sergeant Choongwa in police cells.
Mr Kampyongo says the four officers are currently are appearing before the courts of law.
He says the joint board of inquiry comprising officers from the ministries of defence and home affairs concluded that there was no malice or aforethought on the part of the police officers in question or any other person to murder the deceased, but established that there was gross negligence on the part of the officers in the manner they handled the whole matter leading to the death of the ZAF officer.
He says the joint inquiry established that the Police officers used excessive force to get flight sergeant Choongwa into the police cells.
Mr Kampyongo says findings of the joint board of inquiry on use of force by the officers were consistent with the postmortem report which attributed the death of Flight sergeant Choongwa to trauma and stress.
Mr Kampyongo states that the joint board of inquiry therefore recommended that the police officers involved be charged with manslaughter contrary to section 199 of chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.