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Chalimbana University COP injured himself – Witness
By Francis Chipalo
An eyewitness has disclosed that the police officer involved in the Chalimbana University student protest which occured on Wednesday night injured himself with teargas.
Chief Inspector Patrick Patrick Choongo is reportedly to have lost a finger during the fracas when students protested against prolonged power outages at the learning institution.
He was later on taken to the hospital for medical attention.
And some students alleged that some officers who went to the institution on the same night were actually disorderly and appeared to be in a drunken state, allegations police deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale dismissed and described as a total fabrication of facts.
But according to an eyewitness, the injured COP (Constable on Patrol) inflicted pain upon himself after delaying to throw the teargas canister at the protesting students within the school premises.
“I was actually watching through my hostel window and saw everything happening. Officers were very provocative because when they came, calm had already been restored but they started teargassing us in our hostels,” he alleged.
The informant further alleged that officers went kicking on the doors of student’s hostels, unleashed their teargas and beat up whoever they found on their way.
“It is the disorderly conduct by the police which worsened the situation because, how do you teargas students from their rooms? It’s like those officers are clearly not trained to handle such matters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mwale warned that all students found to have broken the law will soon be apprehended.
He urged the students to find better ways of airing their grievances, indicating that they have school management as well as their union leaders where such matters can be taken.
“I want to warn that everyone who was involved in that confusion will soon be apprehended and face the full wrath of the law,” Mwale cautioned.
As of yesterday, the confusion at the learning institution continued where ZP reinforced it’s officers to restore calm at the college.
When officers arrived, students scampered in all directions fearing to spend their weekends in police cells.
A source has this morning disclosed that no student spent their evening at the institution.
A press query to the power utility company Zesco over the load shedding at the institution is yet to be responded to, but the police deputy spokesperson reminded learners that everyone was affected by the current power blackouts but were not protesting.
Learners at the institution located in Chongwe have stated that the over 10 hours of power disruption on a daily basis have affected their school calendar especially that they’re about to take their examinations.
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