Claim
On Sunday, November 20, 2022, Zambian Most Trending Videos and News Facebook page uploaded a post shared from Patriots for Economic Progress Party President Sean Enock Tembo’s Facebook page claiming that the police were destroying property in Chieftainess Kawaza’s chiefdom in Katete district. In the post, Mr. Tembo said, “this is not the Zambia we want”. The post followed the attack on police officers by irate villagers from Kwaza village in Chieftainess Kawaza’s Chiefdom. This was after two suspects detained for allegedly practicing witchcraft were released by the police for lack of evidence.
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia fact-checking process has determined as misleading the claim shared by Zambian Most Trending Videos and News facebook page that the police were destroying property in Chieftainess Kawaza’s chiefdom in Katete district. The claim follows the attack on police by irate community members from the chiefdom after police released two suspects accused of practicing witchcraft. Zambia Police Deputy Spokesperson Danny Mwale said in statement that the police had gone to the area to to restore law and order following reports that villagers were destroying property belonging to the two suspects but were in the process attacked. This is contrary to the claim that police were destroying property in the area. Mr. Mwale also stated that it had come to the attention of police that a total of 15 houses and a Toyota Hilux were destroyed. Therefore, the assertions that police were destroying property in Chieftainess Kawaza’s chiefdom in Katete district is misleading.
