POLICE spokesperson Rae Hamoonga says police have recorded a warn and caution statement from Chilufya Tayali for inciting to mutiny, alleging that he used social media to seduce persons serving in the Defence Force and Zambia Police Service from their duty of Allegiance to the Republican President.

In a statement around 17:58 hours, Hamoonga said police had recorded a warn and caution statement from Tayali for inciting to mutiny.

“Police have recorded a warn and caution statement from Chilufya Tayali aged 47 of house number 38 Ngwezi road in Roma township in Lusaka for the offences of Inciting to mutiny Contrary to Section 48 subsection (a) of the Penal Code and communication of certain information Contrary to Section 4 (3) of the State Security Act Chapter 111 of the Laws of Zambia. Brief facts of the matter are that it is alleged that Mr Tayali between March, 2022 and 2nd April, 2022 in the Lusaka District of the Lusaka Province of the Republic of Zambia using social media did seduce persons serving in the Defence Force and Zambia Police Service from their duty of Allegiance to the Republican President,” stated Hamoonga.

“It is further alleged that Mr Tayali on the 2nd day of April, 2022 at 19:59 hours in the Lusaka District of the Lusaka Province of the Republic of Zambia without lawful excuse did receive an official classified Zambia Army message in contravention of the State Security Act and later circulated the document on social media using his Facebook page account. The accused is detained in police custody.”

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists at Ibex Hill Police Station after attempting to visit Tayali earlier in the day, Mundubile lamented that police had denied him access to see the EEP leader.

“We are here at Ibex Police to see one of our counterparts Chilufya Tayali who was arrested yesterday and detained here at the police station. We had a chance to see the Officer-in-Charge who mentioned to us that he is under strict instructions that no one should see Chilufya Tayali. We therefore were unable to see him because we were not given access. We want to say this to the Zambian people, that what is happening now is a very sad development in our democratic dispensation. This is a government that is governed based on the constitution which guarantees freedoms of expression, freedom of movement among others,” he said.

He asked Zambians to condemn police.

“When citizens hold dissenting views, use that as feedback so that you know where to put your effort. And not using that to use iron fists and using the police to oppress those that may want to express themselves. As politicians, learn to speak to your people, learn to respond to your people. I think that using state machinery to oppress political opponents is not something we are going to sit and watch. I want to express my utmost disappointment with this particular arrest because it is very clear where this government is taking us. Sooner than later, we may have a government full of dictatorial tendencies, this is something we did away with in 1991 and we want to call upon the Zambians to condemn Tayali’s arrest with the contempt that it deserves,” Mundubile said.

And when asked why some people like Mundubile had been denied access to see Tayali, he said “you know that the police have got visitation hours. Just like a hospital, you don’t go to the hospital anytime you want to go there. They have visitation times. You don’t just wake up and say you want to see someone.”