Police trying to implicate HH in Hatembos’ abduction case, claims UPND

By SIMON MUNTEMBA THE prolonged detention of a UPND senior official, Ackson Sejani and three others is a scheme by the police to implicate Mr Hakainde Hichilema in the alleged abduction of Pheluna and Milton Hatembo, says UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa. Mr Mweetwa said it was unfair for the police to detain the suspects for almost two weeks without charging them. He said the police in Lusaka detained Mr Sejani, two mayors Choma Simoloka and Vincent Lilanda of Choma and Mazabuka respectively as well as a Choma businessman, Mr Fines Malambo almost two weeks ago in connection to the disappearance of the Hatembos. Mr Mweetwa said that the move was aimed at implicating the UPND president in the  disappearance of Pheluna and Milton Hatembo.  “We believe the detention of the four is in an effort to implicate President Hakainde Hichilema in the matter when police have failed to get Pheluna and Milton Hatembo from where they reside despite being availed with the details,” Mr Mweetwa said. The four have been detained to help with investigations in the alleged abduction of Ms Pheluna Hatembo and her brother Milton who took Mr Hichilema to court over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of farm number 1924 which belonged to their father. The family has insisted that they never sold the farm to Mr Hichilema. On December 23rd, 2020, police summoned Mr Hichilema for questioning at Force Headquarters over the Hatembos’ farm. A National Prosecutions Authority prosecutor, Nsama Nsama and a UPND cadre were shot dead at the time Mr Hichilema was being questioned.