Gloria Kangwa writes
ANOTHER police officer has committed suicide by shooting himself with an AK47 in Solwezi barely two weeks after two other officers died in similar circumstances.
Yesterday, a 32 year old officer of the Zambia Police service in Solwezi district North-Western Province shot himself ten times in the neck whilst on duty over speculated marital issues.
The officer emptied 10 rounds of ammunition into his neck, splattering blood all over the scene within the police post.
Confirming the sad development to The Sun Newspaper, commissioner of Police Hudson Namachila said the incident occurred around 05:00 hours at the Solwezi Bus Terminus police station post but the report was made at 08:00 hours by inspector Mukandawire CIO district police station.
Mr Namachila identified the deceased officer as Constable Henry Zulu of Mpayawanthunthu village of chief Mushoro chiefdom in Chipata district.
“One of our officers on duty at one of our police posts has shot himself using an AK47 Rifle with the serial number 782002. When the scene was visited the bullets are known to have entered the deceased body from the neck and came out through the forehead damaging the skull and brain,” he said.
“He died on the spot and the gun was found in between his legs while the barrel was lying on his right hand. All the ten rounds ammunitions he withdrew were expanded as the magazine was found empty and the cartridges near his body,” he said.
According to witnesses at the Bus station, the police officer had locked himself inside the office before shooting himself dead.
“We just heard shots but thought it was some construction work going on,” said a call-boy at the scene.
The officer’s death was only discovered when another officer went to the office and tried to open but found door locked. Upon checking, the officer saw his colleague in a pool of blood.
Shocked commuters and trader had besieged the scene as the Sun team reached the bus station. The officer, believed to have been divorced recently, is the third policeman to die within a month.
Mr Namachila said the body was picked up and deposited into Solwezi General Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem adding that a docket of sudden and natural death has been opened and no foul play suspected.
The commissioner urged his officers to take life seriously and to seek help from the readily available institutions when need arose.
