Friday, March 29, 2024

Gassing reports decrease – Zambia Police

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The Zambia Police has recorded a reduction regarding reports received from the public on instances of malicious administering of chemical substance.

Zambia Police spokeperson Esther Katongo said most of the reports received from various communities within Lusaka have not yet been verified as purported victims are being found in a stable condition whenever officers respond to reports.

Mrs Katongo however said Police recorded two evident cases which happened between 01 00 hours and 02 00 hours in Chipata Compound in Lusaka in which two households were sprayed with a chemical substance.

She said in both circumstances, Criminals are reported to have gotten to the rooftops of the houses , lifted iron sheets and sprayed the chemical inside houses.

Mrs Katongo said the victims are reported to have become unconscious and all victims were rushed to Chipata level 1 hospital for medical attention with three victims having been recorded in these attacks.

And Mrs Katongo said in Kanyama, a report of chemical spraying was received in the early hours of today around 02 00 hours in Makeni Simsom area and four occupants were chocked.

“When the victims called for help, people in the neighbourhood woke up and spotted a minibus parked and immediately sped away. People followed it and managed to block it and on board were two occupants and a 5 liter container containing a blue substance was found on the motor vehicle with four empty plastic bottles”, she said.

Mrs Katongo said people surrendered the suspects to police and did not cause any damage to the motor vehicle and said the suspects are in police custody while the chemical substance will be taken for analysis.

Meanwhile, in Lusaka’s Jack Compound, a mob damaged a motor vehicle which was found parked along the road with two occupants however, it was established after investigations that the motor vehicle in question had run out of fuel hence the occupants were victims of circumstance who were rescued by police who rushed to the scene and escaped with minor injuries.

“In Central Province, there was a report of riotous behaviour mostly by youths from Makululu Compound who upon hearing that police officers followed up a report of chemical spraying, decided to block a roads and later went to the Great North Road where they damaged four motor vehicles”, Mrs Katongo added.

She said police managed to contain the situation and engaged civic leaders to sensitive the youth involved and Police are monitoring the situation.

Meanwhile, Mrs Katongo said between 2200 hours and 23 00 hours , police received a report of chemical spraying at Kabwe Trades training Institute in which 10 female students were affected and were rushed to a health facility for medical attention.

She said several unverified reports are being received by police in areas such as Southern Province and Luapula Provinces and police are on high alert monitoring the situation.

Mrs Katongo said Police are still concerned that members of the public have continued taking the law into their own hands by lynching any person found in their respective areas who they are suspecting to be behind chemical spraying.

“Just from 16 00 hours yesterday, 14th February, 2020, three people have so far been killed in Lusaka by mobs on mare suspicion bringing the total number of victims of mob justice who have died to nine (09). Yesterday around 16 00 hours in Lusaka’s Chipwalu near Chazanga compound, a mob killed a male adult and seriously injured eight others on suspicion that they were behind chemical spraying. The survivors are receiving treatment while the body is in UTH mortuary”, she narrated.

Mrs Katongo said the mob also went to Chipwalu Police Post in an attempt to set the police post on fire but were repelled by officers.

She said in Kanyama’s Kanono area , a female adult was stoned to death by a mob around 2200 hours on suspicion of chemical spraying while in Matero’s Kasupe area in Konkwa village, a male adult aged between 20 and 25 years was murdered by a mob and was found with both hands and legs tied.

Mrs Katongo said Police have instituted investigations in all the reports of murder involving mobs and all those that will be found to have taken part in any of these cases including those of damaging both private and public property will be arrested and prosecuted.

And in Bauleni Compound in Lusaka, a group of youthful thugs mobilised themselves, blocked some roads by burning tyres and looted one shop in the area.

She said Police have apprehended three suspects and some stolen items have been recovered with the suspects in police custody.

Mrs Katongo said Police have observed that criminals are now taking advantage of the insecurity in communities as a result of alleged acts of chemical spraying.

She has urged members of the public to always examine situations as failure to do so will lead to criminals using them to advance their criminal acts.

34 COMMENTS

  1. Why is it that Gassing of people is happening in most PF strong hold? Solwezi was targeted because PF has penetrated . We havent heard of gassing in Southern Province. If i remember very well when burning if Markets and Government offices During and after Last general elections Southern was not most affected why?. Am not a PF(People failure } supporter or UPND( Desperate party for Power). Think about it.

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  2. We’re not satisfied with a mere decrease, we need to know who is behind this menace and what punishment they will get. It is only when the terrorist mind behind these crimes has been caught and sentenced will the people exhale and congratulate the police for a job well done.

  3. Why the innocent boy killed by Chingola police not added to the 3 innocent lives lost?
    Zambian government liule. A hoax of chemical, gas, rituals, people turning in cats can be believed, Imagine if these tribal stuff politicians like, can kill all citizens in a week.

  4. I only know the mediated Esther Mwata Katongo. From a distance she strikes me as a decent person. No bleached skin, no nail polish, no lipstick despite several magazines and tv programmes promoting such rubbish as good for women. Whn she speaks, I tend to listen.

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  5. I watched a video clip of this Mrs Katongo on radio…I was disappointed its like they are the same family as that Charity Katanga in CB when they are talking. We need UNZA degrees for such positions not just talking like women in a tavern.

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  6. As promised we are indeed working hard to quell this abhorrent act and are slowly closing in on the culprits. Kz

  7. Rather put it this way.

    Gasing continues amidst army presence and violent retaliation

    We should be worried. We should be very worried.

  8. Tarino Orange:What’s wrong with just listening? Listening is not believing. I’m not one to believe that a degree has anything to do with the character of the person.

  9. This is a Zambia l have never seen. When people have solved their own problems then you come in by saying you have curbed the vice!!!!. Very shameful. Citizens have vowed to kill the suspects and that only has brought a lot of fear in the hearts if evil doers and not police.

  10. Nemwine – It has nothing to do with character but it helps in making statements, a Police spokesperson and Police Commissioner are high level national positions where being fluent and coherent with statements is paramount.

  11. The Police has been collecting chemicals and taken for analysis, yes, i understand the aspect of not informing the public on the content but i believe it will be wise enough to inform us on the anti dote. How do you expect citizens to avoid taking law in their own hands when they are the victims and the President has allowed them to do so by put a K250, 000 bounty? A bounty is a good move but it has repercussions.

  12. The gas which was used is called *SANPOS* Acute phosphate poisoning… If severe inhalation occurs, the person develops acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) heart failure, convulsion and coma. Death can result from profound shock

  13. @no votes for lungu, it seems ifisushi fyakwa hh fyawonawula ichalo. Abantu baletila gas poison kanshi nifisushi fya mabisi. A bit of Saturday joking haha

  14. Nemwine – Is it all that matters? Go on to facebook and look out for that radio phone in she was on last week …she was talking absolute gibberish, not confident not articulate useless as her silly boss IG. If she is your auntie go on and pass the message for me that she is useless stout cop who should make use of upgrading her skills set and visit the gym more often or better just resign, there are graduates from Mass communication UNZA degrees unemployed. The other week you had that midget Charity Katanga talking about crooks shapeshifting on camera and she is still in the job.

  15. Zambia Police, if you have failed to arrest this situation, maybe you should ask Zimbabwe Police for assistance and guidance. This is too much and too long. Are you Zambia Police officers or Zambia Police cadres? In China heads would have rolled by now.

  16. Kaizer Zulu i don’t think when PF lose power you will still manage to still be in Zambia don’t you sometimes think of the future of your kids you got a bad name my guy even in PF people don’t like you and i suspect you are behind the gassing of citizens because you don’t care about people this is how you can advise your party to gas people so that the opposition can lose popularity it was a wrong advise.

  17. Not too long ago, there was an evil plan of burning markets throughout the Country but up to now we don’t know who was responsible for torching the markets. The issue has backfired on you; it has only earned you diminished popularity through out the Country. We are now faced with the gassing issue, which appears well coordinated just like the burning of markets was. In your evil thinking you want to declare the State of emergency out of a thing that even an ordinary citizen would guess the people behind it.

  18. Tarino Orange: l don’t know why u want to speculate that EMK is my aunt. That’s needless bcos I’ve already said I dont know her. I only “know” her bcos of the media appearances she makes. That’ wht I meant by knowing a mediated EMK. I hv never met her and chances are we may never meet. I’m not going to castigate a person who has done me no wrong. Wht I say on social media is same as wht I would say face-to-face wth u. Insulting is beneath my dignity.

  19. All this gassing go around the country is a national politic scheme. Done so, because of fear of unpopularity and insecurity that this government is going to loss the 2021 general elections. For instance, during President Chiluba’s reign , he schemed the Black Mamba and later Zero Option, and this government is using the Sanphos Chemical Gassing. Please people of Zambia know your history and let us fight this vice with both hands to stop this government that knows what it is doing and what is on the ground and being busy undermining its national security forces by pledging a sum of K250 000 to any information of their own doings. Oh, God help us!!!!

  20. Reports have reduced because people are no longer wasting time going to the police who do nothing to suspects. The have mobilised watch groups and will take the law into own hands.

  21. The people are reluctant to report because they nolonger trust the police hence most of them taking the law in their own hands
    Police do your job

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