41-YEAR-OLD police officer who was recently hacked by robbers as he was guarding the residence of Deputy Chief Justice Marvin Mwanamwambwa has been discharged from hospital. Moses Ganizani, of Garden House, was attacked two weeks ago at Justice Mwanamwambwa’s home in Lusaka West. Mr Ganizani was admitted to University Teaching Hospital (UTH), where he was receiving treatment for the head injuries he sustained.

His niece, Prisca, said in an interview that Mr Ganizani was discharged from hospital on Friday last week. “We are grateful that our relative has been discharged from hospital though he is still recovering,” she said. Prisca thanked UTH staff and everyone who cared and prayed for Mr Ganizani while he was hospitalised. And Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police Nelson Phiri said police are still actively pursuing the matter and that no arrest has been made so far.

Mr Ganizani’s assailants also got away with an AK47 rifle from him. Meanwhile, police have urged the public to verify with authorities on the legality of checkpoints and roadblocks before effecting citizen’s arrests on officers suspected to be mounting illegal barriers. Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement that the public should understand the distinction between permanent roadblocks and snap traffic checks.

“The Zambia Police Service wishes to state that in the recent past, a ministerial statement was presented in Parliament by Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo, in which he announced the reduction of roadblocks countrywide,” she said. Ms Katongo said the roadblocks the minister referred to were permanent ones, which operate on a 24:00-hour basis for security reasons.

She said permanent roadblocks involve searching for wanted and trafficked persons as well as stolen property. Ms Katongo said other than permanent roadblocks, there are snap check points which are random and are mounted by traffic officers at different points to enforce the Road Traffic Act to ensure that there is sanity on the roads.

“The snap checks are usually mounted between 09:00 hours and 16:00 hours. Before 09:00 hours and after 17:00 hours, traffic officers are usually involved in traffic management,” Ms Katongo said. She said permanent roadblocks have been reduced because they were counter-productive and an inconvenience to the travelling public.