Claims are circulating on social media alleging that Patrick Mwansa, the husband of Tasila Lungu, has died while in police custody.
The allegations, which have not been independently verified, claim that Mwansa sustained injuries while in custody and was allegedly denied access to family members, food, medical attention and other forms of assistance.
The claims also contain serious accusations against President Hakainde Hichilema, the Zambia Police and other state authorities. These allegations should be treated as unverified unless and until confirmed by the relevant authorities, family representatives, lawyers or other credible sources.
Given the seriousness of the claims, there is a need for an official statement clarifying Mwansa’s condition, the circumstances surrounding his reported detention and whether the reports of his death are accurate.
The original message also included inflammatory ethnic and political language, which has been omitted from this report.
