Police in Solwezi have arrested a Tanzanian national who went on rampage stabbing three people and killing one in Kyawama compound.
North Western Province Police Commissioner, Eugene Sibote, and the uncle of the deceased confirmed the arrest of Jonas Juma, 26, of Kyawama compound.
Mr Sibote said Juma stabbed Frank Mwelwa, 22, in the right ribs with a knife and the victim died on the way to the hospital.
He said the assailant also stabbed and inflicted serious wounds on three other people on the same fateful night.
He named the three that were wounded as Johnson Kachelewa, 22, who suffered a deep wound on the left thigh, Chushi Kunda, 19, who was stabbed in the left should and Sylvester Mwale, who was wounded in the right shoulder.
Mr Sibote said the Tanzanian national is in custody facing a charge of murder.
And Mr Sibote said police officers have also been deployed in Kyawama to monitor the situation after some unruly youths angered by the killing of Mwelwa were reported to be planning to take vengeance against Tanzanian nationals in Kyawama.
“The person who caused the unfortunate death is in our custody. What we are saying is that there is no need for anyone to extend the vengeance to other people just because they are foreign nationals,” Mr Sibote said.
He warned that anyone who will try to cause any confusion will be treated as a criminal and the law will not spare that person as police are aware that some irresponsible people want to create confusion in order to commit crimes by stealing or looting.
And Solwezi District Commissioner, Crispin Likando, visited the funeral house of the diseased and counselled the bereaved family.
Mr Likando urged the bereaved family and the people in Kyawama to mourn the deceased in a peaceful and respectful manner.
He said there is no need to resort to violence against other Tanzanian nationals in the district as the crime was committed by one person that police have arrested.
Meanwhile, the uncle of the 22-year-old-man, who died of a knife wound after being stabbed by a Tanzanian national in Solwezi, is not happy with law enforcement agencies that allowed the killer, who is a prohibited immigrant to roam freely instead of being in prison.
Mr Rhodes Kachelewa, who narrated the circumstances in which his nephew, Frank, died after being stabbed, showed ZANIS documentation that included a police report and a notice of prohibited immigrant to leave Zambia issued to the Tanzanian.
On January 25, 2013, Zambia police issued a police report addressed to immigration authorities to assist a Tanzanian national, Jonas Juma, in anyway.
This is after Juma, 26, reported being attacked by three unknown people who robbed him of his passport and other personal property worth KR 2,300.
And on February 1, 2013, the Immigration Office in Solwezi issued a notice of prohibited immigrant to Juma and ordered him to leave the country within 14 days.
However, instead of detaining Juma in prison as required by law, the immigration authorities let him scot free.
Mr Kachelewa, said he partially blames the law enforcement authorities in Solwezi for the death of his nephew because they had every reason to detain Juma in prison but left him to move freely.
He is demanding to know why the immigration authorities allowed Juma to live outside prison while awaiting his deportation as a Prohibited Immigrant (PI).
And when asked to comment on the matter, North Western Province Police Commissioner, Eugene Sibote, said the practice is that prohibited immigrants are supposed to be in prison.
Mr Sibote said the fact that the PI was out of prison can be explained by the immigration authorities.
“If he had no legal status to stay in the country and was declared PI he was supposed to be arrested and taken to prison. The fact that he was out, the immigration office must explain why they let him to roam free,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from immigration office in Solwezi proved futile as the newly appointed Regional Immigration Officer was reported to be travelling from Lusaka.
ZANIS
THOSE GUYZ WANTED TO STEAL FROM HIM, HE DID WELL TO STUB THEM
That is what I suspect as well. Zambians ukawalala maningi. If they tried to steal from him, just after losing his pasport and money and being declared prohibited immigrant, he was still annoyed and just snapped. Some people deserve lessons, unfortunately sometimes learning lessons means meeting your tragic end. I have been to Solwezi and I know what is going on there. A lot of people have been swindled out of their everyday…even girls in Solwezi are crooks, one has to be very careful.
But the story is not saying so.
Zambian life has been cheapened to be disposed of by any one who is any body. Its a shame with a patriotic govt in place.
why are you protecting the criminals..irrespective of their nationality..he should also be killed..
Iliko tricky, but what led to this mwachusa kill and stab others, any reason? Otherwise a PI shud be in prison as required by law, but since in zambia laws are for poor pipo, the man took advantage.
It happened at night, did these zambians attack this guy and try to rob him? If thats the case then its self defense and not murder.
What I am wondering is how one person could stab four people out of which one is killed. Where were they when this stabbing took place? Could he have used juju to weaken their energy? Four against one is not normal. Tell us the full story.
misplaced priorities will always have consequencies. the non criminal catholic priest was deported in such a flash that if the same standards had been applied here, we would not be having a funeral
Stupid Zambians above, muzungu wanga anikonde attitude. This ***** killed your fellow Zambians but you still support the criminal. Vimeno.
I THINK THIS GUY WAS PROTECTING HIMSELF FROM OUR THIEVES
I wonder how one man can finish up three Zambians kaya mwe
No wander stupid foreigners have taken advantage to disrespect Zambians and our land laws. Us Zambians are useless because we tell foreigners that Zambia is a peaceful nation at the expense of our Zambian brothers lives. How can a normal Zambian support a foreigner. In their countries, these foreigners are stupid and dont respect us. In Solwezi, especially Lumwana as an influx of Tanzanians and Congolese living in the country illegally – without work permits or trading permits. Most contracted companies at Barrick Lumwana have employeed Tanzanians and other foreigners without work permits and our ladies looking for jobs are ubused sexually by these foreign *****s. PF government make points on these straight forward issues. Our jobs have been taken by illegal immigrants.
i dont know which law people have been quoting, according to the immigration and deportation act no. 18 of 2010. the Tanzanian was not facing deportation but 2 the circumstance which led to him being a PI, he was facing a mere removal and thats y he ws served with a form 39 ” Noitice of Pi to leave Zambia”, unless he ws unable to sustain himself within these 14 days, he was to be in prison to prevent him becoming a charge to the state, and because he was given 14 days to remove himself by reporting to immig within 14 days doesnt mean any law was broken, sad some one died,zambia is part of a global village, dont attack others by virtual of nationality, moreover we get our vehicles thru their port…
Yes this guy should be locked up regardless of reason he became a PI. Let him face the wrath of our law..period.