Mail &Guardian reporter
Zambian police assaulted and arrested an editor of The Post newspaper, Matsautso Phiri, last Saturday
He was taking photographs of a police riot squad dispersing people at a rally in Kabwe organised by former president Kenneth Kaunda.
The Post reported that police assaulted Phiri, seized his camera and ripped out his film before arresting him.
He was detained for two days with scores of others arrested at the rally. He appeared in court on Monday, charged with “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace” and released on bail. Meanwhile, Kabwe’s police commander, Nungu Sassasali, was suspended on Wednesday as Zambian police began an inquiry into the shooting of Kaunda and his political ally, Roger Chongwe.
Police have admitted that live ammunition, and not just tear gas as they maintained earlier, was used to disperse the opposition rally.