“Spare Him”: Pressure Mounts as Ailing Kalumo Denied Medical Access in Custody

A storm is brewing over the continued detention of former Immigration chief Brigadier Charles Kalumo, with growing calls for authorities to show restraint as the visibly unwell ex-military officer reportedly struggles to access urgent medical care.

What is emerging is not just a legal battle—but a test of the State’s humanity.

Kalumo, according to his lawyer Chrispin Ndalama, is effectively trapped in a bureaucratic tug-of-war between Fiscal Police and Area 18 Police, with neither side willing to take responsibility for authorising his release to seek treatment.

“The Officer-in-Charge at Lingadzi Police says he cannot act because Kalumo was arrested by Fiscal Police. Fiscal Police, on the other hand, says he is in police custody,” explained Ndalama. “Meanwhile, a man in clear need of medical attention is left waiting.”

That wait could prove dangerous.

Kalumo previously suffered a stroke that affected his eyesight and had sought treatment in South Africa. Upon his return, doctors advised immediate medical review—advice that has yet to be followed. Now, his condition appears to be worsening, with reports of facial numbness raising fresh alarm.

For his legal team, the next step may be unavoidable: court action.

“We are contemplating seeking judicial intervention to ensure he accesses medical care,” said Ndalama, stressing that health is a fundamental human right, regardless of one’s legal situation.

But beyond the legal arguments, a moral voice has entered the fray—one that is challenging the very judgment behind Kalumo’s treatment.

Lawyer Bright Theu has issued a passionate appeal to authorities, urging them to reconsider their stance.

“I would most fervently urge the powers a rethink. A serious one. Please rethink,” said Theu. “There is a lot of real crime and a lot of real criminals to prosecute in this country. The State should be spoilt for choice.”

In a striking rebuke, Theu warned against what he sees as a dangerous precedent—turning the full force of the law against individuals he believes acted in good faith.

“I would really beseech that he be spared, if for nothing else, for his good intentions at heart,” he said. “There is something about swinging a sledgehammer against true patriots for show. It is ill-advised.”

His remarks cut to the core of a growing public unease: is justice being pursued—or performed?

As questions mount, police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo remained unavailable for immediate comment, saying only that he was “in a meeting.”

Meanwhile, Kalumo remains in custody—unwell, in limbo, and at the centre of a case that is quickly shifting from a matter of law to one of conscience.

At its heart lies a simple, unsettling question: when the State has the power to act, what does it say when it chooses not to?

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