Violence Against Women
Source: Times of Zambia
INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police, Stella Libongani, says the command will deal firmly with police officers who allegedly impregnated 30 pupils at Limulunga High School in Western Province in January last year.
Ms Libongani said in Mongu yesterday that it was unacceptable for officers who were deployed to maintain law and order to engage in immoral activities with school-going children.
The police chief said she had travelled to Western Province to get first hand information on the matter.
On Friday, Luena MP, Gertrude Imenda of the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) said in Parliament that police officers who were sent to quell the Mongu riots of January 14 last year, impregnated 30 girls at Limulunga High School where they were camped.
Ms Libongani said her command would not take the matter lightly adding that indiscipline had no place in her administration.
She said this when she called on Western Province Permanent Secretary, Augustine Seyuba, at his office.
She noted that police officers were deployed to Mongu last year to provide security to the community and wondered why they started engaging in immoral activities with the girls they were supposed to protect.
Apart from getting first hand information on the police conduct during their stay, Ms Libongani said she was in the province to check on the security situation ahead of the Barotse National Council (BNC), which takes place on Monday next week.
She said police would not stop people from exercising their Constitutional rights as long as they conducted themselves in a peaceful manner.
The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has called for the BNC to discuss the Barotseland Agreement among other issues in Limulunga where both local and international media have been invited.
Mr Seyuba said during the same meeting that his office was impressed with the police service in the province for maintaining law and order in the midst of many challenges.
He appealed to the Inspector-General to consider addressing the many challenges officers faced in combating crime in the province.
Mr Seyuba said areas such as Sichili, Shangombo and Mitete in Lukulu District do not have police stations, a situation that has led to an increase in the number of hired assassins commonly referred to as 'Karavinas' in the province.