Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba has warned persons or anyone making what he claimed as false claims to have played a role in rescuing the victims and are soliciting for money or favours to stop forthwith as this amounts to an offence that is prosecutable under our laws.

In a statement released to the media, Mr Kajoba further warned that people soliciting for money or favours to stop immediately as this amounted to an offence that is prosecutable under our laws.

Police have also revealed that prior to the rescue of the girls by Robby Chitambo, one of the girls had already escaped and was taken to police Godfrey Miyanda police post by a good Samaritan.

Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba said after four mobile money agents and nine nursing students were abducted, not all cases were brought before the attention of security wings.

“Members of the public may wish to note that not all the cases of abduction were reported to police as parents thought their children were in school , whilist school authorities assumed that the students had gone home,” he said.

He said following reported abduction cases, with the most prominent being that of Pamela Chisumpa investigations intensified.

Mr Kajoba said as investigations intensified, intelligence gathered led to the apprehension of a named taxi driver who on October 2nd around 22:50 hours , who was once used by the abductors to deliver a laptop to one of the victims as collateral for a soft loan.

“The taxi driver was later picked by police and upon being interviewed, he revealed where he had picked the laptop and it turned out to be Chalala Choppies mall area where officers had been conducting surveillance for some time.

This information promoted officers to intensify patrols around Chalala’s Choppies mall and other surrounding areas,” he said.

He said on October 3rd, the social media profile for one of the suspects was identified by a lady who was frequently communicating with one of the suspects who wanted to lure her to visit him.

Mr Kajoba said the lady who was undercover after having reported to police went with her brother to the location that had been sent to her by one suspect and when she reached the vicinity, the suspect noticed that she was not alone and shouted at her.

“Upon realising that his possible victim was accompanied by a male person, he angrily shouted at her asking why she had not followed instructions by going alone. The suspect who was not putting on a shirt then sensed danger, quickly closed the gate, ran back to the house where he picked a short and hurriedly secures the house before jumping the wall fence into the next year and police pursued him,” he said.

He said upon noticing the panic of one of the suspects, one of the victims Dorcas Chungwe ceased the opportunity to break and open the door.

Mr Kajoba said after she opened the door, she met a good Samaritan Ellam Sinkala of Shantumbu who was driving along the road and he took her to the police post and she reported being among one of the girls held hostage.

“By this time, the other team of detectives(Plain clothed officers) who had chased the suspected abductor returned to the house for inquiries and upon reaching the house, officers found three boys with two women who were helping the remaining victims who were unable to walk on their own,” he said.

He said later it was discovered that the man who had runaway was one of the suspects Mathews Sikaonga who was apprehended with his accomplice James Mulenga in Western Province.

Mr Kajoba has since called on members of the public to continue cooperating as their is still a mammoth task to ensure the suspects are taken before the courts of Law.

He has further warned those peddling lies which have the potential to jeopardize the on going investigations to stop and has also further thanked the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Agency and members of the public who played a part in rescuing the victims.

Below is the full statement from Zambia Police

Statement by the Inspector General of Police on events leading to the rescue of the thirteen ladies held hostage in Chalala area
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As a follow-up to our earlier statement issued on 3rd October, 2022 concerning the rescue of the thirteen ladies who were held hostage in Chalala area, we now wish to give an account what led to their release.

Preliminary investigations indicate that between 17th March and 18th June, 2022, four female mobile money agents were abducted namely; Faith Muluti aged 28, Pamela Chisupa aged 21, Paxina Chanda aged 22, and Macwani Nalukui aged 21. And between 15th August and 20th September 2022, nine nursing students from a named university in Chilanga district were abducted from their boarding houses.

Members of the public may wish to note that not all these cases were reported to the Police as parents thought their children were in school while the school authorities assumed that the students had gone home.

As all may be aware, this is a matter that we had promised to pursue until the abducted persons were found alive.

As investigations intensified, intelligence gathered led to the apprehension of a named taxi driver on sunday 2nd october, 2022 around 22:50 hours, who was once used by the abductors to deliver a laptop belonging to one of the abducted ladies as collateral for a soft loan from a money lender in Matero’s Shadreck compound.

The taxi driver was later picked by Police at family 24 along Lumumba road to help with investigations. Upon being interviewed, the taxi driver revealed where he had picked the laptop which turned out to be Chalala Choppies mall area where officers had been conducting surveillance for sometime. This information prompted officers to intensify patrols around Chalala’s choppies mall including Greg Lungu and Augustine Lungu roads.

On Monday, 3rd October, 2022, the social media profile for one of the suspect was identified through which a lady who was frequently communicating with the suspect on Facebook was also identified. In their communication, the suspect had tried to lure the lady to visit him and he shared his location using one of the abducted lady’s phone who at the time was not reported to have been abducted.

Armed with this information, officers in the company of the lady and the brother went to the same location. Upon reaching the vicinity, she went to the gate where she met the suspect who was without a shirt and engaged into a conversation whilst Police officers were monitoring from a distance.

Upon realising that she was accompanied by a male person, he angrily shouted at her saying he had instructed her to come alone. He then sensed danger, quickly closed the gate and ran back to the house where he picked a shirt and hurriedly secured the house where the abducted ladies were held before jumping the wall fence into the next yard and Police pursued him.

Upon noticing the panic of the abductor, one of the ladies, Dorcas Chungwe seized the opportunity to break and open the door. When the door was open, Dorcas came out first and jumped the fence and the rest of the ladies came out except the other three who could not manage to walk.

On the roadside, Dorcas met a good samaritan, Mr. Ellam Sinkala of Shantumbu who was driving along given Lubinda road and took her to Godfrey Miyanda Police post where she reported that she was among the ladies that were held, hostage. Police in the company of the victim and Mr, Sinkala drove back to the scene where they found the other ladies and people had gathered.

By this time, the other team of detectives (plain clothed Police officers) who had chased the suspected abductor returned to the house for inquiries. Upon reaching the house, officers found three boys with two women who were helping the remaining victims who were unable to walk on their own. The actions of the helpers came as a result of the commotion and distress calls from the abducted ladies.

Later on, it was discovered that the man who had run away was one of the suspects, Mathews Sikaonga, apprehended in Nkeyema together with his fellow accomplice, James Bwalya Mulenga, in connection with the abduction.

We are appealing to the public to continue cooperating with us as we still have a mammoth task of arraigning these suspects before the courts of law.

We have further noted with concern the continued speculations and falsehoods being peddled on social media which has the potential to jeopardise the on-going investigations. We further wish to warn persons or anyone making false claims to have played a role in rescuing the victims and are soliciting for money or favours to stop forthwith as this amounts to an offence that is prosecutable under our laws.

So far, preliminary investigations indicate that there were no other people who interacted with the ladies whilst in captivity other than the two key suspects, Mathews Sikaonga and James Bwalya Mulenga.

We, the Zambia Police service would like to extend gratitude to Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), mobile network operators, members of the general public and indeed all those that cooperated and played a part in saving the lives of the thirteen ladies. We indeed appreciate and commend your efforts.

You may wish to note that this is an ongoing investigation and members of the public will be kept abreast as the need may arise.

Lemmy Kajoba
Inspector general of Police
8th october, 2022

Minister of Transport and Logistics, Frank Tayali says the contractor engaged to work on the Ndola – Lusaka dual carriage way will be moving on site in a few weeks time.

And Mr Tayali has said his ministry is committed to resolving the impediments to cross border border trade to facilitate smooth flow of goods and services and ultimately enhance trade trade with neighbouring countries.

Speaking last night during the Ndola District Chamber of Commerce third Annual Awards Galla in Ndola, Mr Tayali said the Lusaka- Ndola road once worked on will enhance trade and increase revenue generation.

Mr Tayali added that government has also paid premium attention to the Ndola – Mufulira- Mokambo, among other international roads as one of the ways to maximise commerce and possibly end road carnages.

He also reiterated government’s resolve to lowering the cost for money in order to speed up economic activities and increase disposable income at household level.

Mr Tayali said the high cost of borrowing has been the cry of the private sector for many years and that is adversely affecting growth of businesses, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs.

Mr Tayali who is also Ndola Central Member of Parliament assured that government is putting in place several measures that will see interest rates going down and that this will increase access to finances for business and ultimately stimulate economic growth.

“Ndola Chamber of Commerce has categorically and consistently made presentations to government. Among other submissions, is that the cost of borrowing is too high.

The concern was on the past government’s appetite for domestic borrowing a situation that had caused a crowding out effect as banks only preferred to lend to government and consequently starved the private sector,” Mr Tayali said.

And Copperbelt Province Minister, Elisha Matambo said the two government’s of Zambia and DRC are devising tangible ways that will resolve challenges being faced on border areas.

ZANIS reports that Mr Matambo added the two sister countries will also enhance communion where security of the drivers is concerned.

“I want to announce that we agreed with our counterparts on our drivers having what we are calling the green line which our SADC drivers will be using while in Congo.

Our colleagues on the other side have also put in place three vehicles which will be patrolling 24/ 7 to ensure safety of our drivers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ndola District Chamber of of commerce president, Paul Chisunka said his membership is excited with the news to develop borders in the province.

Mr Chisunka said there is need to accelerate the process of modernising sakania border and the chamber looks forward to harvesting the benefits this will come with.

He said the business community is concerned with the security concerns at Kasumbalesa which he added are a threat to business but it is gratifying government swung into action to resolve the concerns.

“The 2022 Ndola Chamber of Commerce awards Galla was held under the theme: “Connecting the dots.”

Facebook has announced that it has notified a million Facebook users that their usernames and passwords might have been stolen after downloading one of over 400 malicious Android and iOS smartphone apps.

The apps were discovered in the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store over the course of the last year, posing as popular types of software.

According to Facebook, four in 10 of the apps posed as photo editors, while others posed as games, VPNs, health trackers, business applications, flashlight enhancers and other services to trick users into downloading them.

Users who downloaded the malicious apps were asked to log in with their Facebook account before they could use the features they were promised – and if the user entered their username and password, it handed their credentials to the attackers.

Many of the apps were useless and did not provide the functions they advertised – because once the user provided their credentials, the attackers had already got what they wanted.

With stolen login information, attackers can gain access to a person’s account, providing them with the ability to access private information, or send malicious phishing messages to the victim’s contacts. And if the victim also uses their Facebook account to log in to other applications and services, the attackers will also be able to access those – and potentially gain access to additional sensitive data.

As the downloads have been developed outside the Facebook ecosystem, the tech firm can’t be certain how many people have installed the malicious apps – but the company has notified around a million users that they may have been put at risk.

The notifications have two aims – one is to inform people they’ve downloaded a malicious app and tell them what steps they should take to secure their account if they’ve entered their login details. The second is to warn people who’ve potentially downloaded the apps and are yet to enter their account details that they shouldn’t do this.

If the attackers have access to a Facebook account, they also have the freedom to change the password and lock the victim out – and Facebook says that when this has happened, it’s worked to restore access to the user.

“We’re also taking steps in the course of our investigation to remediate accounts where we can that do appear to have been compromised and restore access for users who might have actually lost access to their account,” said Arganovich.

Facebook is also providing advice to users on how to spot a malicious app. The suggested tell-tale signs include apps asking for social media credentials – especially if there’s no need for the app to need this data. Another sign is the developer advertising features that the app doesn’t have. A string of poor reviews with complaints that the app doesn’t work as advertised could be a key sign that something isn’t right.