THE Law Association of Zambia( LAZ) has called on the Army Commander to take action against officers who assaulted unidentified youths for allegedly disrespecting the President.
The association says it’s shocked at videos showing military personnel assaulting unidentified youths for purportedly insulting the President of the Republic of Zambia.
In a media statement, LAZ honorary secretary Peter Chilembo said regardless of the behaviour displayed by the youths, Zambia has sufficient laws in place to deal with such conduct.
“ The institution acted with the constitutional power to effect apprehensions over such conduct, and possibly prosecute, is the Zambia Police Service, acting in liaison with the Director of Public Prosecutions. There’s no law that gives military personnel power to deal instant penalties on erring members of society. To say the least, the conduct exhibited by the military personnel, who are identifiable in one of the videos, is illegal, inhuman, degrading and undermines the Rule of Law and Constitutionalism in the country, ” he said.
Mr Chilembo said military personnel in Zambia play a key role, and their significance can not be overemphasized, still, no one is above the law, and under no circumstances must any citizen, let alone men and women in uniform, take the law into their own hands and deal out street justice.
“ thus, it’s LAZ’s strong view that such conduct by military personnel on private citizens should immediately be retaliated by the Military Command. LAZ thus, calls upon the Army Commander to take appropriate steps to instantly deal with the erring officers so as to maintain the Rule of Law, and to discourage would be offenders within their ranks.
LAZ won’t relent in execution of its statutory mandate to protect Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law, for the greater good of the Nation, ” he said.
