The family of a 29-Year-Old man who allegedly died while in police custody in Chinsali has refused to bury him until a post-mortem is conducted.
John Chanda Junior, of Chinsali Girls Compound, was arrested last Friday on suspicion of stealing a chicken.
His parents say they were only informed of his death on Tuesday, by which time his body had already been taken to Chinsali District Hospital mortuary
A stand-off has since emerged between the family and police.
His father, Mr Chanda and other mourners have been trekking to Chinsali Police Division for five days after attempts to secure a local pathologist to carry out the post-mortem failed.
Mr Chanda has accused police of delaying the process, saying officers insist on providing their own doctor. He warned that if a doctor is not made available by the end of the day, he will release the body and hand it over to police for them to bury.
Mr Chanda alleges that he does not know when exactly his son died as his body was found in a decomposed state with his eye seemily eaten by rats.
However during a meeting this morning, police assured the family that a doctor would be present before close of business.
By Cecilia Kayaya Mporokoso
