TWO illegal miners died yesterday after being buried alive at Nchanga Open Pit Mine in Chingola while digging for Copper ore at the dumpsites.
And police on the Copperbelt have launched a manhunt for two gunmen who allegedly shot dead a man and got away with more than K1 million on the Kitwe- Kalulushi road.
Copperbelt Police commanding officer Martin Malama confirmed the incidents in an interview in Kitwe yesterday.
Dr Malama said the two illegal miners who were in a group of friends met their fate between 01:00 hours and 02:50 hours at 60 metres bench level.
He said their colleagues managed to retrieve the bodies and left them on the surface where the mine police found them.
“I can confirm that two miners were buried alive at Nchanga Open Pit mine in Chingola while digging for copper ore. They were in the company of their friends who retrieved their bodies and left them on the surface,” Dr Malama said.
He named the deceased as Justine Silwamba of house number 3 Robert Chipekwe Road in Chiwempala and William Katongo of Makulu Road of the same residence in Chingola.
Dr Malama said their colleagues have informed their relatives and that the bodies are at Nchanga North Hospital Mortuary.
And Dr Malama said two gunmen wearing masks on Friday shot dead a driver delivering bulk beer for Kankoyo Breweries in Kalulushi.
He said the incident happened around 18:00 hours between Kalulushi and Kitwe road and named the deceased as John Mutambo 55, of Kantashi Township in Mufulira.
Dr Malama said the gunmen shot Mr Mutambo in the neck while driving his vehicle, a Fuso Fighter Canter, and got away with more than K1 million.
Mr Mutambo was with a lorry boy who jumped out of the vehicle and ran to safety.
Meanwhile, WALLEN SIMWAKA reports that a cash-in-transit attempted heist on Thursday evening left motorists and pedestrians frozen with terror when three armed robbers masked in black Ninja tunics failed to accomplish their mission of stealing from a businessman of Asian origin on Independence Avenue in Kamwala.
The robbers had closely and inconspicuously trailed their target along Independence Avenue and as they approached the traffic lights at the Burma Road junction, they swiftly jumped out of a Corolla car they were in and briskly walked to the car the businessman was in just ahead of them.
The robbers tried to open the doors of the businessman’s car but they were locked. The businessman sensed danger and he sped off, ignoring the traffic red light. The bandits armed with a pistol and AK47 assault rifles then started shooting in the air prompting motorists and their passengers to cower in their vehicles while pedestrians scampered
The bandits jumped back into their car and sped after the businessman.
A witness at the scene said the incident happened around 17:45 hours.
“I was on a bus going home. As we approached the traffic lights three men all dressed in black and masked jumped out of the Corolla and ran to the car which was being driven by an Asian man. He immediately took off meandering through many other stationary cars and bandits sped after him as they shot in the air,” she said.
Police have confirmed the attempted cash heist and have launched a manhunt for the criminals.
Lusaka Police commanding officer Mhlakeni Zulu said the businessman owns a shop in Kamwala trading area and that the robbers must have suspected that he had the daily takings with him.
Meanwhile, CHRISTINE CHISHA reports that a three year old girl and a woman believed to be in her 30s died on the spot while four other passengers sustained injuries when the motor vehicle they were travelling in careered off the road on the Zimba-Livingstone road.
Police service spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said the incident happened around 12:00 hours.
She said the accident happened when Ajay Kurma, 38, lost control of the vehicle he was driving.
Ms Ndandula said those seriously injured and admitted to Shasik Private Hospital in Livingstone are Dipak Grove, 26, Garima Kurma, 37, and Divyani Kurma, 7.
The dead have been identified as Raj Kurma and Ruhn Kurma.
Meanwhile, police have appealed to members of the public travelling to Mansa to carry National Registration Cards (NRCs) with them as police have mounted check points at three entry points into Mansa.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
People have really become devils. How do you kill your friend just to get K1m? May the deceased rest in peace.
The next government should SERIOUSLY consider the un empolyment problem as its no 1 task. People today can kill someone for as little as k50 pin. This cancer is spreading quickly and no one is safe.Government to look at this issue of poverty with the seriousness it deserves. Don’t turn a blind eye to this problem its, growing day by day.
may the souls of the illegal miners rest in peace,let the government sell the mine dumps to Zambians to avoid untimely deaths(.vinyamu nyamus)
government really needs to get serious about job creation and alternative means of employment for unskilled labour, they also need to look at alternative ways people can gain skills and ultimately gain employment. This stuff we’re seeing here is just the cracks beginning to show and I doubt we want to go down the road where chaos rules the day .
Chingola people, please try to find other ways of making money. How many people have to die in these illegal copper tombs before you learn this.
Maybe its me, but I always found Chingola people a bit dim.
So if one does not have an NRC on him is a looter. Guys be serious.
Nubian Princess,What exactly do you mean to say you find chingola people dim? Chingola people, please try to find other ways of making money,What a careless statement.
I will assume its you who is dim.for your own information these are just a minority and its kind of irresponsible for you to assume everyone in chingola are making money this way.My friend there are learned and rich people in chingola doing credible things.I would proudly say you are what you are due to the same people of chingola you are thinking are dull.If you are educated,they produced copper for the country,the country got some revenue and allowed you to go to school.Think before you write or you will just be showing your stupididty and foolishness
No. 7, you’re such a dwarf in your mind. :How many legal miners have died underground, and you think they are also dim? You fible minded Zambian.
this problem is as a result of high unemployment perpetuated this morons in government. i wish they could all die of malaria.
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Those who kill others shall also be killed. May the driver’s soul rest in peace. I bet he was slain by people he knew.
Nubian princess … what an ignorant phat you are!!!!!
Imiponto ba # 5, mwakulila kwisa? And ba # 8, the point dcs is trying to put across is that we have credible people living in Chingola, people that do not deserve to be insulted by the likes of the nubian princess. His message is simple and doesnt take an Albert Einstein to decode. Princess, no its not just you who thinks that Chingola people are dim, u have # 7 with you. I bet your Chingola connections are thick headed ( thats the crowd you attract). Get an education ( and by that, I dont mean just a degree). Oh, and grow up too.