Police have charged four inmates with Sergeant Nchimunya Chongwa’s murder.

In a statement today, assistant police spokesperson Nephas Chifuta stated that police had concluded investigations.

“The Zambia police has concluded investigations in the murder case of Flight Seargent Mark Nchimunya Chongwa, a Zambia Air Force (ZAF) soldier of Twin Palm Camp and based at ZAF Headquarters Longacres, Lusaka, who is alleged to have been beaten to death whilst in police custody at Woodlands Police Station on 17th March 2017, in Lusaka. Four inmates alleged to have picked up a quarrel with the deceased whilst in custody have since been arrested and charged with the murder of the deceased soldier,” Chifuta stated.

“The said four inmates are; Joseph Phiri aged 32 of Chalala area in Lusakawho was facing a charge of theft, Kaonga Andrew aged 31, a Police Sergent of Kamufinsa Mobile Unit charged for criminal trespass, Kalumba Felix aged 40 of house number C294 Mtendere Compund Lusaka charged for Motor Vehicle theft and Chanda Martin aged 24, of House number 45/11, Chilenje Lusaka facing a charge of assault occasioning actual bodly harm. The quartet will appear in court on Monday.”

Chifuta warned some media houses for disseminating ‘false information about the case’.

“The Zambia Police Service would therefore like to warn some media houses and individuals who have continuously been issuing unverified and alarming statements on this matter to stop forthwith in order to allow the due process of the law to take its course,” stated Chifuta.

Yesterday, Chifuta told News Diggers! in an exclusive interview that no police officer would be suspended during the investigations because they were innocent.

On Tuesday, the Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs instituted a joint investigation into the matter but they have not yet released a report.