A 44-year-old Kitwe soccer fan is nursing a leg injury in Ndola Teaching Hospital after being allegedly beaten by Police at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium during the FIFA World Cup qualifier between Zambia and Tanzania.
Amon Kaonga of Kawama Township in Kitwe sustained a serious injury near the ankle during a fracas that ensured when fans were entering the stadium.
Kaonga said Police used a short baton to beat him.
“I was trying to enter the stadium with a ticket when confusion started between fans and Police. I was trying to run away when I was caught by a police officer who beat me on the leg with a shot baton.
I fell down and was rushed to the hospital immediately. I am in pain,” Kaonga told Radio Icengelo News from his hospital bed.
Police fired teargas to disperse some fans who were attempting to enter the stadium in a disorderly manner.
However, some unruly fans threw back teargas cannisters at Police forcing them to react sharply to control the crowd.
Meanwhile, unidentified female fan collapsed during the same fracas and was taken to the hospital. Her condition is not yet known.
Zambia lost to Tanzania by 1-0 to complicate chances of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.
Copied:Zambia Reports
