The incident in which police in Chipata shot dead a Mbala based golf player after suspecting him of being a criminal has taken a new turn.

This is after a postmortem which was conducted from Chipata Central Hospital yesterday revealed conflicting statements from Zambia Police Service.

According to a postmortem, James Bwalya Chishimba had two bullet wounds on two different parts of his body, with one hitting him in his back, which came out through the stomach and the other on his right thigh.

The postmortem also showed that Mr Chishimba’s 6th and 7th Ribs were fractured.

Meanwhile, the Coroner’s Authority of burial signed by Magistrate Moses Mkumba Phiri stated that Mr Chishimba died from extensive liver and right injury with Hemothorax and injury to the popliteal artery.

This is however contrary to what Eastern Province Deputy Police Commissioner Geoffrey Kunda told Journalists on Tuesday that Mr. Chishimba was accidentally hit once by a stray bullet after the police officer who was guarding Zambia Revenue Authority offices fired warning shots after suspecting the deceased of wanting to open the ZRA cash gate.

And Chipata Golf Club Captain Edward Phiri has expressed concern over the manner in which police have handled the matter.

Mr Phiri noted with sadness that the Zambia Police Service who are supposed to protect the public were trying to conceal the truth behind the shooting incident.

He noted that it is unfortunate that the Police who are supposed to protect members of the public are trying to protect a criminal.

Mr Phiri added that it was shocking that after the postmortem resists were released, they realized that their colleague had two wounds and a fractured leg, a thing he says the police tried to conceal.

Meanwhile, when contacted for a comment, Eastern Province Deputy Police Commissioner Geoffrey Kunda stated that the police officer involved in the shooting incident has been arrested.

Mr Kunda who could not disclose the details of the police officer, noted that the officer has been arrested and charged with murder.

And when asked for comment on the findings of the postmortem Mr. Kunda declined to comment on the matter.

A new market for fresh fruits and vegetables is earmarked to be opened in Lusaka in 2020

The Zambia Fresh Lusaka Market is planned on the principles of South African agent-based markets and will sit on a 10 hectare peice of land southeast of Lusaka.

The Market will be developed by Savenda Global Capital Partners.

Sean Moolenschot of Savenda Global Capital Partners announced at last week’s PMA Fresh Connections conference that the construction of the market is planned to start soon and will be completed next year.

The market will consist of a 6,500m trading facility (whose floor space could be more than tripled) with cold rooms and ripening facilities, and complemented by a food hub precinct in order to add further revenue lines from fresh, frozen and dried product.

Highly variable quality, inconsistent supply, little waste removal and absolutely no traceability are the issues that Savenda Global Capital Partners want to address in the new Market.

“The horticultural sector in Zambia is thriving,” Sean told delegates, “Approximately one million tonnes of produce is traded every year, of which a third is consumed in the general area around Lusaka. We want to bring the possibility of real price discovery to small-scale Zambian farmers.”

He continues: “Savenda Global Capital Partners has a specific bias towards businesses that support the bottom pyramid sectors in Africa.”

Zambia’s cholera outbreak of almost two years ago has been the impetus behind the development of the country’s first agent commission-based fresh produce market, specifically aimed at taking the produce of small-scale farmers.

Fresh produce sold at informal markets was implicated in the outbreak which killed 114.

Police in Kitwe have arrested five people in connection with the theft of cement belonging to Dangote Cement in Ndola which was transit to a client in Chambishi.

The suspected criminals diverted the Dangote bulk cement truck and started packing it in Dangote Cement labelled bags from a house in Kawama Township where they were arrested from.

Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga confirmed the development to ZANIS in an interview today.

Mrs Katanga named the suspects as Japhet Kaira 30 of Garneton, Hask Chikonde of Wusakile , Albert Ngulube 19 of KCC Kawama in Kitwe who were found decanting 132 bulk cement of Dangote bulk cement from a Sino truck registration number BCB 5319 and bulk trailer Registration number BCB 5320 at house number N1/359 new Kawama compound in Kitwe.

She said the two tenants of the house where the cement was being packed from have also been arrested to help with investigations

Mrs Katanga explained that the incident happened last night between 01:00 and 03:00hours.

The truck has since been impounded at Mindolo police station and the bags of cement are also held at Kawama police post.

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council has called for immediate action to end the escalating cases of Gender Based Violence.

The call follows the 6,139 cases reported in the second quarter an increase of 9% or 555 cases compared to 5,584 cases reported in the first quarter of 2019 by the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit.

According to the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit 2019 Second Quarter GBV Statistics Report, there were 6, 139 GBV cases reported countrywide.

Child defilement had 583 reported cases in comparison with 734 cases during the same period in 2018 which marks a decrease of 26%.

While a minimal decrease was reported on child defilement cases, NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale has called for action by all stakeholders to curb Sexual Gender Based Violence in all its forms.

Mrs. Mwale has called for a coordinated multi sectoral approach to curb SGBV, which will include all stakeholders among them the private sector, the church and civil society.

“During the second quarter of 2018; 6, 074 cases were recorded countrywide against 6, 139 cases recorded in 2019 showing an increase of 65 cases which translates to 1.1 per cent increase. In comparison terms, the just released statistics show a marginal increase in the overall cases recorded by 65 cases (about 1.1%)”, she said.

Mrs. Mwale said NGOCC is disheartened and remains deeply concerned at the rise in the number of GBV reported cases which are even resulting in deaths.

She said it is sad that more women and girls are the worst affected by the vice and it is clear that SGBV is fast becoming a national crisis that is not only causing death but also negatively affecting the productivity of the country.

Mrs. Mwale said NGOCC is also sad to note that out of the reported GBV cases countrywide, only 604 cases representing 9.8% were taken to court resulting in 83 convictions, 48 were withdrawn at court representing 8% with 3,104 cases withdrawn at Police Stations.

She said this is a worrying picture and more needs to be done to ensure that an efficient and speedy justice system is in place to address the needs of survivors, especially women and girls.

Mrs. Mwale said the NGOCC is however happy to note that more people are reporting cases of GBV.

All Peoples Congress Leader Nason Msoni says President Edgar Lungu’s directive to Mines Minister Richard Musukwa to withdraw mining licenses for dormant mines is misdirected, misconceived and aimed at grabbing mines from Zambians and giving them to foreigners.

Mr. Msoni said the actions of the PF Government are shocking and tailored to disadvantage the locals.

He said it is common sense that mining is an intensive capital investment venture requiring partners and strategic business alliances that usually take time to build adding that Mining requires technical support and many other specialised operations.

Mr. Msoni said the role of any sensible government should be to support the growth of local entrepreneurs in mining by encouraging more citizens to participate in the sector.

He said his party expects the minister of mines to advise the President to refrain from making knee-jerk decisions and directives that have the effect of undermining investment in mining.

Mr. Msoni reminded the PF Government that the KCM saga has had a terrible bashing on the country’s mining investment opportunities internationally and President Lungu’s directive gives criminals an opportunity to take advantage and deprive Zambians mining licenses.

He has since urged the Minister of Mines not to get excited but exercise sobriety and level headedness in executing such misplaced calculated directive.

Mr. Msoni said Zambians deserve to own Mines and must be given the opportunity to source for funding.