The Human Rights Commission says it is worrisome that four days after a female police officer reported Kaizar Zulu for assault, no action has been taken against him.

In a statement today, HRC chairperson Mudford Mwandenga described Kaizar Zulu’s assault on a female police officer as a high profile case of lawlessness and impunity.

“The HRC is particularly concerned that the reported human rights violation was allegedly committed by a senior government officer, against a law enforcement officer, and four days after the reported abuse, neither a concrete action against the suspected perpetrator has been undertaken nor an official statement issued from the Zambia Police Service. This is not the way in which the Zambia Police Service is publicly known to operate in normal circumstances,” Mwandenga stated.

“The Commission is aware of many cases where individuals have been arrested, detained and charged with an offence of obstructing the Police from executing their duties. The police officer was executing her official duty of enforcing law and order when she was not only obstructed, but also physically and indecently manhandled. It is shocking that her case seems to be treated differently. The HRC is raising this concern because there were a number of police officers within the vicinity of the alleged scene of crime, and the case was officially reported to Matero Police Station but regrettably no concrete steps seem to have been undertaken to ensure that justice is done.”

He stated that such lack of action could confirm fears of selective application of the law.

“Such lack of action against perpetrators of human rights and crimes only serve to confirm allegations and fears of selective and discriminatory application of the law, to the detriment of respect for human rights. The Commission wishes to appeal to the Government to demonstrate commitment to their national and international obligations of respecting and protecting human rights without any form of discrimination,” Mwandenga stated.

He described the incident as a high profile case of lawlessness and impunity.

“The reported case of physically and indecently victimising a female police officer, hardly a week after commemorating the International Women’s Day, is quite disappointing to the human rights fraternity and must be profoundly condemned. The Commission considers the harassment of a police officer allegedly by a known senior government official as a high profile case of lawlessness and impunity. Such unfortunate state of affairs must not be allowed as Zambia is a constitutional democracy in which all individuals must have equal protection and benefit of the law in accordance with Article 18 of the Bill of Rights,” stated Mwandenga.