Police in Kitwe have impounded a truck loaded with 576 by 25kg bags of mealie meal suspected to be destined for resale in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The truck was intercepted along the Kitwe-Chingola road near Nakadoli market in Kitwe.
The Driver of the truck however said the truck was destined for Mbala district where the mealie meal was supposed to be used for brewing opaque beer.
Kitwe District Officer- Commanding Edwin Chisi who confirmed the development to ZANIS today said the police acted after receiving a tip from the District Commissioner’s office and mobilized officers who intercepted and impounded the truck yesterday.
Mr Chisi said the police will not relent in curbing crime especially the smuggling of the staple food into the neighbouring countries.
He said the police have since instituted investigations into the matter to establish full details on the true destination of the truck.
And Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe said government will not tolerant any person bent on exploiting the citizenry.
Mr Kabwe assured the country that his office will issue a statement on the matter when he receives a comprehensive report from the police.
And driver of the truck Mulenga Sinyangwe said the mealie meal was bought from Kapoto market in Kwacha constituency and admitted that he did not have documentation to support the bulk buying of the mealie-meal.
Mr Sinyangwe said the mealie meal was meant for re-selling in Mbala which was hit by the shortage of the staple food for the past three weeks.
He further explained that the mealie-meal belonged to Abercorn Brewery and that it was meant for production of opaque beer.
A check by ZANIS at the District Police offices found a truck registration number ACT 9826 loaded with five hundred and seventy six bags of mealie meal.
The truck is currently parked at police district offices as investigations are still underway.
Smuggling of mealie-meal into neighbouring countries has lately been cited as one of the reasons for the shortage of the staple food in Zambia.
You now need documentation to transport mealie meal? How much has the PF screwed up the country?
Can you imagine, if this guy did just bought the meaie meal? No case her, unless if it was stolen. These days even things that are straight forward now have become complicated is issh.
This is ludicrous. If there is a shortage how can someone buy 576 bags of meal, surely the bags didn’t appear in Kapoto from thin air. There is no law broken here, unless the truck is caught at the border you can’t suspect someone of smuggling. Unprofessional police force.
In uncivilised countries with uncivilised people anything goes. You don’t need documents or documentary evidence you own something or bought a large quantity of a particular product.
However, developed nations document everything, especially when it involves the exchange of money. This is how they get statistics that help them to determine what is going on in the country’s economy, etc.
The govt is allowed to export maize to Zimbabwe while private business individuals are being harrassed.
What a govt.
Simply because uncle Bobby financed Chagwa’s election. You can recall Chagwa sneaking out of the country shortly before elections.
back to the painful past, Kaunda times
…this is just a press hoax…how to you apprehend a truck deep inside Zambian territory an such suspicion…it could have made sense if it was cornered at Kasumbalesa or Mokambo border…
The man had no documentation to support his purchase. Clearly if you have a certain number of goods you should have a receipt. Its common sense. Any where in the world if you have alot of goods you need to show proof of purchase. You need to show you have paid the right taxes.
At last! I hear you.
This is plain simple. No political adulteration.
Also, the driver should make up his whether the mealie meal is for resell or for making Chibuku.
how do you know he had no documents?
First of all you don’t need documents unless you want to export the commodity.I transport big numbers of chickens from my farm in Ngwerere which is Chongwe district to Soweto markets and other areas without producing documents.These are the simple results of mismanagement.As of 2 weeks ago Zimbabwean vice president was boasting about Zambia having agreed to export maize there while the Minister of Agriculture claimed we had sufficient stocks and his appointing authority told us that he would be importing maize from South America.These are the results of voting for a Grade 2 illiterate who not only managed to hoodwink his fellow illiterates but even PHD,Masters Degree and degree holders.Just accpt that you are Africans.
Ba to UNIP days of queuing for everything. This serious economic mismanagement!
What do you expect from pipo who sold our companies and pocketed our money? copper belt is not southern province.
Its those who suspect that the mealie meal destination was ‘dodgy’ who need to prove the same. The driver doesn’t need to respond to anything. There is no obligation to keep a receipt after purchase – though it does help if there is an issue later.
No case here, @ smuggling pa road going to another town, awe sure, so it means it’s an offence Cv to transport ubunga fro point A to B in the country!!