Police have charged four people with the offence of theft of goods in transit, involving copper cathodes valued at over K6m.
This occurred on August 31, 2023, between 19:00 and 20:30 hours in Lusaka.
The suspects have been identified as SIMON FELENI 31, of Ndola, ISAHIA NYONI, aged 43, a resident of Lusaka, CLEOPHAS LUPIYA, 33, a Zimbabwean national and MWAPE CHUNGU, aged 36, who is the Mwansabombwe council Chairperson.
Investigations have revealed that the truck, bearing registration number N879S, along with its trailers, N30062S and N30063S, was loaded with 35 point 25 tonnes of copper cathodes owned by Reload Company from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with its intended destination being Walvis Bay, in Namibia.
While in Lusaka the loaded trailers were disconnected from the truck without the owners’ consent and attached to another Shachman truck, with registration Number ADE 5784, the property of Mwateck Company, owned by Mr. CHUNGU.
The consignment was diverted to South Africa.
The original truck was abandoned and later recovered in Makeni area, and the driver is currently at large.
Police have successfully recovered the truck used to transport the stolen copper to South Africa, although the trailers and copper remain missing.
Three suspects are in custody, while Mr. CHUNGU has been released on police bond, awaiting court appearance.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC by Zambia Police Assistant Public Relations Officer GODFFREY CHILABI.
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