CCZ’s Rev. Canon Emmanuel Y. Chikoya calls for ‘Expeditious Investigations into How and Why the ‘Convicted Killers’ had access to details of their ‘Victmins’
Rev Emmanuel Chikoya with Dr Suzzanne M’membe Matale and Bishop Sydney Sichilima pix by Derrick Sinjela
CCZ calls for ‘Expeditious Investigations into How and Why the ‘Convicted Killers’ had access to details of their ‘Victmins’
Press Release
Thursday 3rd June 2021
By Reverend Canon Emmanuel Y. Chikoya The General Secretary
Stand No. 377A, Ecumenical Centre
Bishop Road, Kabulonga
P.O. Box 30315 Lusaka – Zambia
Tel: 260-211-267744
TellFax: 260-211-267740
E-mail.irifo@ccz.org.zm
www.ccz.org.zm
The Council of Churches in Zambia has received with shock the story of two convicts reported to have gone on rampant raping and murdering innocent nine women and later burying them at Mukuyu farms after escaping custody from Mukobeko Correctional leaving the bereaved families in tears and sorrow.
As CCZ, we send our heartfelt sincere condolences to the families affected by this unfortunate incident. We pray that the families will find hope and strength as they try to endure this dark cloud that has fallen before them.
For us, we want to state it categorically that any form of Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women or girls should be condemned in its strongest terms. However, as the saying goes, ‘‘Knowing the source of a problem is more important than solving it.’’ We want to go back to the genesis of this matter.
According to our findings, the suspects escaped custody on 7th April 2021 and were arrested 46 days later. Shockingly, during the time of their escape, it is believed that Joseph Chiteta and Miles Malaya began to contact relatives of those serving jail sentences to come to Mukobeko Maximum and Medium Correctional Facilities in a bid to negotiate for their relative’s possible release on Parole on pretext that they were prison wardens.
First and foremost, this whole story raises more questions than answers. One would wonder how they were accessing the contacts, where they used to meet these women and what time they were burying them after brutally raping them?
But before we get to that, what seeks immediate action especially to the bereaved families is that justice must prevail! And it must be seen. We are aware and glad that government regrets the whole incident.
Nevertheless, there is a leaf we can pick from this unfortunate incident especially in light of the signed arguably controversial law which some sections of the media say the law will empower inmates with a two week leave to visit their families.
According to a media statement issued on 28th May 2021 by the Zambia Correctional Service, it sets the records straight that the law does not specify the period of two weeks but rather states that the act stipulates the President may release on ‘licence’ an inmate serving a term of imprisonment for life, subject to condition specified in the license, and may modify or cancel any condition. The act further states that the president may, by order, revoke a license of an inmate that has been released.
We appreciate ZCS for quickly settling the dust in time. However, our appeal also is that the government should begin to sniff out the allege corruptions being swept under the carpet in facilitating recommendations for pardoning of inmates.
Although on the surface it may appear like convicts are sent to prisons to be punished, the truth is that they are sent to be reformed so that they become better people. The worry is that if the criteria for pardoning are somehow ‘leaking’ then that imposes a serious threat on the safety of society at large on what kind of people are being sent back to the community.
We can’t imagine the extent at which the killings and raping of women could have gone if the suspect was not arrested by the police. This raises a serious concern to have circumstances’ revisited in which inmates may be seen fit to leave the prison walls.
What is more heart breaking is the involvement of a four-months old baby whose life was cut short at the hands of the suspect.
It is sad to note that innocent lives have to be lost in such a manner.
Once again, we demand that justice should prevail. We still have many questions hanging on why and how the suspects had access to the details of other inmate’s families. We hope and trust that these answers will be brought to light as the story unfolds.
