PF cadre Munir Zulu says there seems to be a problem with traffic police officers because it has now become a trend for motorists to beat them up.

And Lusaka Police Commissioner Nelson Phiri says PF cadres who beat up traffic police officers have fled to South Africa.

In an interview with News Diggers! today, Zulu said he had been cooperating with police.

“First and foremost, I am very much in the country. I was at Central Police Station where I gave my statement in room E3. The officer in that office was Mr Chikuba, I gave my statement to him on the first floor. I am very much in the country. I was not arrested, they had requested that I give a statement as to what had happened at that road block that was mounted, I gave my statement and I said at what point George started fighting the policemen I wouldn’t know because the confrontation was between the policeman, Wayo and myself who was trying to stop the fight but how George got involved I don’t know,” Zulu said.

“I am very much in the country and the police have called me four or five times, I have availed myself to the police. Though, the statement from the other officers that were involved in the fight, are not mentioning me anywhere that it is me who threw those punches. If the police are honest, let them avail the statements that were issued by the other officers and the statement I gave.”

Asked if his friends were in Zambia, he said; “That I wouldn’t know because I have not spoken to them today, I spoke to them yesterday saying the ‘police need you guys’, I spoke to them on phone, ‘the policemen need you guys coorperate with them. When we spoke on phone they were around (in Zambia) to day I haven’t spoken to them.”

He said it had become a trend for traffic officers to be beaten.

“I even said how come police officers have again been beaten on Katondo Street from traffic section? We have a problem with the traffic section at police. Yesterday or another day I am told another police officer was beaten on Katondo Street from traffic section. So it is becoming a trend now that these guys manning roadblocks are being beaten. I can’t run away, if I have got a case, I will face it but on that one, if stopping a fight is a case, they will charge me for it. If me being anywhere where there is a crime being committed is also a case, I will face that case. I will not run away, no matter what it takes, I would rather face it all,” said Zulu.

But Phiri told News Diggers! that Zulu and his henchmen who assaulted a traffic officer were on the wanted list and had since fled to South Africa.

“We are looking for those so called cadres and I’m told they have fled to South Africa but we will wait for them, this is their home. Once they come we will nab them,” he said.

Phiri said the police officer who was exchanging punches with the cadres committed no offence as he was defending himself.

“That was assault on police. But why should we take action when our police officer was assaulted? Why should we again, start punishing our own officers when they were assaulted on duty? You want police officers to be beaten then once they come here, we also start to whip them?” asked Phiri.

“If they were found wanting, yes we could have said the officers were wrong because if you look at the other officer in the video who was also standing, he was simply defending himself. You wanted the police officer to just give his head to the man who was aggressive to be punching him? No, we will always protect our officers as well.”

But earlier Police Spokesperson Esther Mwaata Katongo said investigations were still going on in the matter.

“Once we are done with investigations, we will give a statement. We can not say that ‘this is the level were we have reached before investigations are concluded’,” said Katongo.

“I’m also waiting for information from the Lusaka division because my office has not yet received the report.”

On Friday last week, Zulu and his PF boys were filmed fighting with traffic police officers.

This was after police stopped the PF cadre on Kasangula Road in Lusaka, to question why he was driving a South African registered car.