Zambian police have launched investigations into the rise of misuse of internet services, identity theft, hacking, ‘cyber-trespassing’ and internet pornography.

The police said it is also hunting for authors and publishers of online media with a view of arresting and prosecuting them for allegedly abusing the internet.

Police spokesperson Charity Katanga said it is undertaking this course of action because ‘unscrupulous people’ have ‘taken advantage of cyberspace to commit crimes’.

She added that police are also looking to crackdown on defamatory comments and remarks posted on websites, especially through the electronic media.

As such, she said police plan to employ local, regional and international legal provisions to pursue the authors and publishers of what she terms criminal, libelous, defamatory, treasonous and seditious statements on the internet.

Katanga further said police would like to advise members of the public to secure their personal email addresses and passwords.

“As you may be aware, cybercrimes take place in the cyberspace which is a global village of computer gadgets communicating with one and the other. Of late mobile phones have become immediate platforms of cyberspace activities. We would like to advise parents and guardians to step up efforts at household level to educate children on the dangers of such vices and internet misuse,” Katanga said.

She added, “So far, other investigations into the identities of the perpetrators of such crimes are underway and we shall expose all the people involved in these malicious and borderline treacherous activities hiding behind the anonymity of the internet.”

The police, she said, also want all ‘well meaning Zambians’ to report cyber incidences of criminal nature to the police.