By Mubanga Mubanga
Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo says the decision taken by State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka to report independent Petauke Central member of parliament Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda to the police for criminal defamation is a desperate move.
And Tembo has urged the police to expedite its investigations in the abduction case involving Banda, saying the more the police display delaying tactics, the more the people will begin to suspect them of trying to cover up the abduction Banda.
Speaking to Daily Revelation yesterday over the move taken by Hamasaka to report Banda for alleging that he was among the people who abducted him, Tembo said the move was a desperate one as the matter was already within the domain of the police.
“The police are already investigating the matter. So on what basis did Mr Hamasaka report Jay Jay to the police? And the police have already confirmed that they are investigating that case. And it is on record that Jay Jay fingered Hamasaka and others, the people who abducted him. Our view is that Mr Hamasaka should stop making desperate moves, and should allow for the due process of the law to take its course, should allow the police to investigate him as the suspect in the abduction of Jay Jay. And not intimidate either Jay Jay or the police.”
Tembo said if Hamasaka was innocent, he would be cleared by the accordingly.
“If he is guilty then he should expect to be arrested just like any other citizen, regardless of the fact that he works from State House, and regardless of the fact that he is close to the Republican President,” Tembo said.
On the statement by President Hakainde Hichilema recently where he referred to Banda as a ‘thug’ who needed to be arrested for crimes which happened in the past, Tembo said President Hichilema should not behave like he owned the police.
Tembo further said the abductors of Banda would be arrested with or without the consent of President Hichilema.
“President Hakainde Hichilema is merely the servant of the people. He doesn’t own this country, he doesn’t own the police, he doesn’t pay the salaries of the police. The salaries are paid by the taxpayers who are ourselves, so it doesn’t matter what the opinion of President Hakainde Hichilema is,” Tembo said. “The bottom line is there is an offense which was committed when Jay Jay Banda was abducted, and that the offenders must be brought to book, the offenders must be arrested and prosecuted.”
Tembo also said it did not matter whether President Hichilema felt old cases must be resuscitated.
“What matters is there was a criminal offense that was committed in the abduction and torture of honorable Jay Jay Banda, and the perpetrators will or shall be brought to book with or without the consent of President Hakainde Hichilema,” Tembo said.
Tembo further urged the police to move quickly and close the matter in national interest.
He said the more the police displayed delaying tactics, the more the people would begin to suspect them of trying to cover up the abduction of Banda.
“So in order to preserve the integrity of the Zambia police service, in order to preserve the integrity of the government of Zambia, it is important that the police should quickly conclude these investigations,” said Tembo.
