SEVERAL UPND members have sued the State in the Lusaka High Court, demanding K453,243 each as damages for false imprisonment as well as K438,200 each for malicious prosecution.
In a statement of claim filed recently, Lubinda Simonda and nine others, who have sued the Attorney General, stated that they were arrested on December 15, 2016, and were accused of riotous behaviour.
They stated that the Attorney General was cited in the matter as the representative of the government and employers of Zambia Policemen, of the Zambia Police service, who arrested them, detained and prosecuted them.
The plaintiffs stated that they were taken to Kabwata Police Station and later remanded at Lusaka Central Correctional Centre.
Simonda stated that the plaintiffs were only taken to Court on January 17, 2017, when they were granted bail pending trial.
He stated that the plaintiffs were appearing in court and were only acquitted on May 20, 2017.
The plaintiffs claimed that they were subjected to mental torture or anguish for no good reason.
And in a separate matter, 10 UPND security men have also sued the State demanding damages for false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, torture and mental anguish they were allegedly subjected to.
Maxwell Malambe and nine others want the court to order that they be awarded damages for false imprisonment amounting to K472,834 each for almost a month and damages for malicious prosecution at K464,000 each, damages for mental anguish at K8,416 .00 each, interest at 15% from the date of their arrest until full payment is made.
In a statement dated May 5, 2022, Malambe and others stated that they were UPND members who were stationed at UPND Secretariat as security men.
The plaintiffs stated that they were on December 16, 2016, sleeping at the UPND Secretariat premises when they were invaded by PF cadres, accompanied by Zambia Police Officers from Lusaka Central Police Station.
They claimed that the UPND members were assaulted by PF cadres in the presence of Police officers and were later taken to Lusaka Central Police Station where they were charged for unlawful assembly.
The plaintiffs stated that they were kept under police custody until January 26, 2017, when they were given bail pending trial.
They stated that they were appearing in Court and were only acquitted on August 29, 2017.
In the third case, eight UPND supporters have equally sued the Attorney General seeking similar reliefs.
Mulowa Amupwela and seven others stated that on July 1, 2016, they were putting up campaign posters along Cairo Road, Lusaka, when they were attacked by alleged PF cadres.
Amupwela stated that when they went to Lusaka Central Police Station to report the assault and injuries sustained by their colleague, Juma Abubakar, they were again attacked at the police inquiry by the P.F carders in the presence of the police.
He stated that police turned on them and charged them with being in possession of seditious materials contrary to the law.
“The plaintiffs were kept at Lusaka Central Police Station and were after one week remanded at Lusaka Central Correction Centre,” the plaintiffs stated.
Amupwela stated they were only taken to Court on August 26, 2016, when they were granted bail pending trial.
He stated that they were appearing in Court and were only acquitted on January 17, 2017.
