Zambia Faces Backlash After Police Fatally Shoot 8 During Criminal Investigation

A recent Zambian police operation in Kitwe has drawn serious public concern and international scrutiny after officers fatally shot eight suspected criminals on June 24, 2025. The men were allegedly involved in a series of violent crimes, including the killing of a Chinese national in Chingola. According to police accounts, the suspects were leading officers to a site where firearms had been buried when they were shot dead.

While law enforcement officials have defended the operation as necessary and justified, growing public unease and unanswered questions are prompting accusations of excessive force   and even extrajudicial execution.

Authorities have yet to release any detailed footage, forensic evidence, or a comprehensive report explaining why lethal force was used against all eight men. The absence of transparency has led many to question whether the suspects posed an imminent threat, or whether the killings were premeditated.

Among the questions being asked:

Was it impossible to arrest or incapacitate the suspects rather than kill them?

Could at least one suspect have been spared to assist in broader investigations?

Why was deadly force seemingly the default approach?

“This reeks of extrajudicial killings,” said a human rights lawyer in Kitwe, who asked to remain anonymous. “There must be a legal process  not street justice.”

So far, there has been no indication of an independent investigation into the police operation.

The story has also gained traction beyond Zambia, especially in China, where it is trending on news platforms and social media. The heightened interest is largely due to the involvement of the Chinese Embassy and the Zambia Chinese Association in the manhunt for the suspects.

The eight men killed were allegedly linked to the brutal murder of a Chinese national in Chingola  a case that shook Zambia’s Chinese business community. But this incident follows a troubling pattern of violence involving Chinese nationals in the country:

December 2024: Two Chinese nationals were shot at Zambezi Mall by another Chinese citizen.

June 15, 2025: A Chinese national was found dead at Kitwe Central Hospital after allegedly being killed and dumped there by a fellow Chinese national. No arrests have been made in either case.

These unresolved cases have raised alarms about both the safety of foreign nationals in Zambia and the apparent impunity surrounding certain crimes  especially those involving foreign interests.

The Kitwe killings raise deeper questions about the direction of Zambia’s justice system and the conduct of law enforcement agencies. Rather than offering reassurance, the operation has intensified public skepticism and widened the trust gap between communities and the police.

As the number of unresolved killings grows and public scrutiny intensifies, critics argue that the government must urgently address concerns over due process and accountability. Civil rights groups are calling for a full, independent inquiry into the Kitwe operation and a broader review of police conduct in similar cases.

In a functioning democracy, even the most dangerous suspects are entitled to their day in court. Without transparency and accountability, critics warn that Zambia risks trading justice for vengeance and undermining the rule of law in the process.