Lulamba ward Councillor faces arrest, 2 con pastors nabbed

Lulamba ward Councillor Violet Mumba faces an arrest following formal complaints made to Chingola Central police by the residents that were sold illegal land by Ms Mumba.

Copperbelt Police Commissioner Mary Tembo confirmed receiving the incidence to The Independent Observer yesterday.

Ms Tembo said police had recorded over 30 complaints from residents of Kankoko area in Lulamba.

Ms Mumba had earlier accused Chingola District Commissioner George Sichula of being involved in illegal land allocation when she was at the helm of things.

The police sources said according to the residents the illegal plots were sold at a price ranging between KR4, 000 to KR 6, 000.

“The Councillor didn’t head the principal which says, don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house or don’t play with fire if you live in a grass thatched house,” the said.

In another development two con pastors in Chingola have been arrested for conning, fraud and stealing money from the vulnerable widows and orphans.

Police sources named the men of God as pastors Raymond Mendai of Free Church of Zambia and Chrispin Simbeye of Soul Winning church.

It is alleged that Pastor Mendai had swindled Jordan widows and orphans a Non-Governmental Organization looking at the plight of widows and orphans in Chingola’s Chikola Township.

The sources told The Independent Observer that Mendai was a Parents Teachers Association (PTA) chairperson at one of the community schools for Jordan widows and orphans.

To show respect to him the women group decided to include Mendai in the group and was made supervisor of a tender which the NGO was awarded by Zesco to clear the bush.

After being paid Mendai pocketed KR 16,000 and failed to pay the workers hired to do the same job.

He is in police custody and would be appearing in court on May 14 for plea and possible trial.

With pastor Simbeye is alleged to have sold one piece of land to more than one person valued at KR 21, 500.

Police sources said Simbeye would also appear in court soon.

And gunmen have snatched a Toyota Corolla on gunpoint in Chililabombwe.

Ms Tembo confirmed the incidence yesterday.

She said the driver of Taxi driver driving a newly registered ADC 1675 was booked from Kitwe to Chililabombwe.

Ms Tembo said upon reaching Kakoso upstream near the rail cross the driver was ordered out of the vehicle and they sped off with the car but the driver was unhurt.

She said a manhunt had been launched to bring the culprits to book.

Ms Tembo appealed to Taxi drivers to be security conscience and learn to interpret the situation to avoid further loss of lives.