A Clinical officer based at Munyama Rural Health Centre in Siavonga District has drowned on Lake Kariba.

Police deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale said Brocklin Mtonga aged 27 drowned after the dugout canoe he was in capsized near the harbor at Munyama Health Centre.

He said facts are that the victim went to play football at Matente village and on his way back home, he decided to use a waterway and boarded a dugout canoe which was been paddled by Milimo Buleke also of Munyama village.

Mr Mwale said initial investigations indicate that as they were approaching the harbor near Munyama Health Centre, their dugout canoe got filled with water causing it to capsize.

“His colleague managed to swim to safety while the victim went down together with the canoe,” he said.

Mr Mwale said the incident occurred on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 around 18:00 hours on Lake Kariba near Munyama Rural Health Centre in Siavonga District. “The body was retrieved around 22:00 hours. Police have opened an Inquiry File to establish the actual cause of the incident,” he said.

(Mwebantu, Thursday, 30th March, 2023)

POLICE  have arrested two suspected criminals in connection with the gruesome murder of the 10-year-old girl identified as Universal Kamushi of Lusaka West who was went missing on March 24, 2023.

The suspects have been identified as Harrison Chisenga aged 25 of Chipata Compound and Jacob Phiri aged 36 of Ngombe Compound.

And Police have also arrested a witchdoctor and his son in connection with the same incident.

Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba  said Harrison Chisenga was picked up on March 28, 2023 around 19:30 hours after a tip-off from concerned members of the community in Lusaka’s Westwood area who saw him hiding in one of the unfinished houses.

He said after interrogations, the suspect revealed that he was with his friend identified as Jacob Phiri during the killing of the girl.

“The two suspects later led Police officers to a Witch Doctor identified as Pensulo Musonda aged 68 of Chipata Compound where they took the body parts of the girl. The Witch doctor was picked together with his 27-year-old son identified as Justin Musonda.

Investigations have since heightened and all the suspects are detained in Police custody,” he said.

And the IG says his command has noted with concern the escalating cases of missing persons, majority of which are children.

He said Police investigations have so far revealed that most of the cases turned out to be abductions by people who happen to be known or close to the victims.

Mr Kajoba said public safety and in particular the safety of childrenshould be everyone’s concern.

“As such, parents, guardians, school authorities and society as a whole have a huge role to play.The two recent crime incidents involving the abduction and eventual killing of Chikondi Banda and Universal Kamushi are suspected to have been perpetrated by people known by the two victims. The suspects allegedly took advantage of the victims while they had left their homes for school,” he said.

The IG has since directed Police officers under the Zambia Police Community Services Department (CSD) to enhance security sensitization programmes in schools, shurches and compounds countrywide.

He said the move will help enlighten children on the importance of personal security.

“Where possible, children must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or a close relative as they go to and from school.

Further, guardians are advised to always ensure that they monitor the movement of their children or any person under their custody. Let us all remember that, “Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard,” he said.

Mr Kajoba also warned would-be perpetrators of such crimes that police are monitoring with keen interest and we will do everything possible in order to pursue offenders and make sure that they are made to answer for their actions.

(Mwebantu, Wednesday 29th March, 2023)

AN 11-year-old boy of Makeni East in Lusaka has sadly died after his eight-year-old friend shot him in the ribs.

The eight-year-old murder suspect is believed to have invited the deceased John Sakala with other friends to admire his grandfather’s shot gun.

While showing them the firearm in question which had two rounds of ammunition, the juvenile suspect is believed to have then pulled the trigger and the bullet went through the deceased’s left rib and came out through the right.

Police deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale said the incident occurred yesterday around 10:00 hours at the home of the juvenile suspect who also lives in Makeni East.

He said the victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the University Teaching Hospital where he was rushed to immediately after the incident.

“Facts in brief are that today, March 27, 2023 at around 10:00 hours, the eight year-old boy invited his three friends to go with him at his grandfather’s house where he stays with him. He told them to go and have a look at a firearm which his grandfather owns. Soon as his friends arrived, the boy moved the firearm from where it was kept with a view to show it to his invited friends. It was there then that he put his finger and pulled the trigger which eventually shot at John Sakala,” he said.

Mr Mwale said the bullet penetrated from the left ribs up to the right where it exited the deceased’s body.

“The firearm in question is a shot gun and had two rounds of Ammunition at the time. Police suspect that the Firearm was already loaded with ammunition by the owner identified as Masson Nyirenda aged 72 of Makeni East,” he said.

He said the body of the deceased boy has been taken to UTH mortuary awaiting Postmortem while Mr Nyirenda has been charged and arrested with the offence of Failing to Secure a Firearm while the grandson who has shot at his friend has been taken to Social Welfare for safe custody.

(Mwebantu, Tuesday,  27th March, 2023)