3, 000 COPS DEPLOYED

OVER 3,000 police officers from training schools have been deployed countrywide to beef up security during and after the August 12 general elections, Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja has said. Mr Kanganja has assured the nation that peace would continue to prevail in the country during and after elections. He said the newly recruited police officers have been deployed countrywide to ensure law and order before, during and after the August 12 general elections. “Yesterday day I released more than 1000 paramilitary troops from Sondela training school to beef up security during and after the elections. We have actually deployed more than 3000 police officers from all the three training schools to beef up security. “This is an assurance that peace will continue to prevail in the country,” Mr Kanganja said. Meanwhile, Police in Mongu have shot and wounded a male juvenile aged 17 with a rubber bullet and sustained an injury.  Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said the juvenile was rushed to the Hospital where he is being guarded and once discharged would be charged with conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.  Ms Katongo in a statement said the suspect is alleged to have been throwing stones at police on Friday at about 19:30 hours at Total filling station along Lusaka Road at UPND Secretariat in Mongu.  “This is after the UPND Leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema reached their secretariat and supporters decided to block the road. Upon being ordered to disperse, they resisted, forcing police to fire tear smoke. The crowd then became unruly and begun throwing stones, forcing police to defend themselves by use of rubber bullets,” Ms Katongo said.