POLICE in Lusaka have arrested former Armcor Security managing director Mohammed Abubakar Patel and former logistics manager Rashid Patel over the scam involving the alleged theft of motor vehicles from the company.
Police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said in Lusaka yesterday the two have been jointly charged with another suspect, Ahmed Baruchi, who was arrested earlier on the same allegations.
A reliable source said the latest suspects are remanded in custody while Baruchi’s whereabouts were allegedly unknown as of last Tuesday.
The source said the trio will appear in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court for plea tomorrow.
Early this year, police in Lusaka unearthed a scam in which 20 brand new Toyota vehicles worth over K5 billion belonging to Armcor Security were stolen from the company and resold to the public at lower prices.
The investigation, which has taken several months, started bearing fruit when the police began recovering the motor vehicles, 10 of which have so far been impounded.
In January 2009, brand new vehicles meant for operations and for senior staff started disappearing mysteriously, and were later seen being driven by some prominent members of the business community.
The vehicles were bought brand new from Toyota Zambia by Armcor Security Company between January 2009 and October 2010.
Some of the vehicles retrieved and impounded by police include Toyota Land Cruiser pick-ups costing between K100 million and K330 million.
Others are Toyota Hilux pick-ups registration number ABR 4183 valued at K321,280,000; registration number ABT 3883 valued at K327,391,600; registration number ABT 8316 and Toyota Hilux 4×4 registration number ABV 1212 valued at K202,372,020; a Toyota Hilux 4×4 registration number ABV 3339 valued at K201,525,060 and another Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABV 7618 valued at K302,400,000.
Others are Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABR 8232 valued at K373,099,200; Toyota Land Cruiser registration number ABJ 8850 valued at K211,120,000; Toyota 4×4 registration number ABK 2442 valued at K155,203,880; Toyota 4×4 registration number ABJ 9473 valued at K181,404,000; Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up ABK 2463 valued at K203,320,000 and Toyota 4×4 registration number ABR 999 valued at K242,600,000.
The rest are Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABV 2375 valued at K283,500,000; Toyota Hilux 4×4 registration number ABX 4347 valued at K229,766,800; Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABX 3891 valued at K320,040,000; Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABZ 125 valued at K312,480,000; Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up registration number ABZ 124 valued at K312,480,000; Toyota Hilux 4×4 registration number ABZ 1675 valued at K218,690,010 and a Toyota Hilux 4×4 registration number ABZ 2250 valued at K209,854,050.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Ifima investors ukutumpa!!
Nifiwelele ifi.I hope they get to be sentenced soon
Am not understanding this story. Was the motive profit or what? And if it was, who reported to the police?
Wow!!!!!
Ma Directors banjala. How the hell does an MD of a company get involved in something like this? They must lock him up.
ITS SAD THAT PEOPLE THESE DAYS ARE NOT HONEST.THE LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE.
I KNOW THE FORMER MD MR MOHAMED PATELVERY WELL.THIS YOUNG CHAP BROGHT ARMCOR TO WHERE IT IS TODAY AS THE COMPANY WAS STRUGGLING WHEN THE OWNER GARY WAS RUNNING IT.ITS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY MOHAMED PATEL DID ALL THIS AS HE WAS A VERY HARD WORKING FELLOW.THIS WHOLE THING IS VERY BAD FOR THE INDIAN COMMUNITY IN ZAMBIA.I HAVE LOTS OF INDIAN FRIENDS IN LUSAKA WHO ARE VERY HONEST AND SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MEN AND I FEEL VERY SORRY THAT ALL THIS HAD HAPPENED WIYH IN THE INDIAN COMMUNITY.MAY GOD GUIDE ALL YOUNG FELLOWS OF TODAY.
cage these fools please no bail and no corrupt proscutors on the case twapapata sana.
these Indians are taking us for granted ayi..?how do they steal like this..arrest them..ni non bailable offense iyi ka?
Ba Mwenye nibakawalala maninigi, look at all these shops sprouting up in Lusaka, the houses they are buying off in Kamwala, Emmasdale and Madras areas ( And putting up Mansions) they have literally taken over our country , investigate you will find that most of the money is laundered money.
MASYABE YOU ARE TALKING RUBBISH, IN EVERY COMMUNITY YOU ARE GOING TO FIND A FEW BAD EGGS.WE HAVE ZAMBIANS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN BAD ACTIVITIES SO JUST STOP ACCUSEING THE ASIANS YOU STUPID FOOL
Mafioso kind of stealing with impunity!
I am sure the main purpose was to defraud Insurance Companies.
may the good lord be with them after prisonÂ
i rally do not believe all this crap. as the boss of armcore is hiding at the back. mind you the boss of armcore is a lie and going mad at the same time, he can not handle all what he has brought up. i wish mr muhammad a win in all this and all of you who have comented bad about him should start apoogysing to him. i have a strong feeling he will win and my prayers are always going to be with him no matter what. guys you all know that looks are desieving then why believe what you have not seen nor heard. i feel sorry for all.