TAZARA police in Nakonde have arrested three people and recovered copper cathodes worth millions of kwacha which were stolen from a goods train which was going to the port city of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania last week.
Among the arrested persons are two Nakonde residents.
Nakonde District Commissioner Edwin Sinyinza confirmed the arrest of the trio and
the recovery of copper cathodes weighing seven tonnes.
Mr Sinyinza said RAZARA police officers under the command of their officer-in-charge
Chief Inspector Katongo managed to recover all the copper cathodes which had been
stolen.
The DC said 40 sheets of copper cathodes were recovered between Kapwila and Mwenzo
Tazara railway station with the help of the Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU).
Four other sheets were recovered in the Tanzanian border town of Tunduma following
the intervention of TAZARA police deputy commandant Binwell Chimfwembe.
Mr Sinyinza commended TAZARA police for tacting swiftly to recover the stolen items.
“I wish to commend our gallant police officers at TAZARA police station for moving
in quickly to arrest the suspects and recover copper cathodes worth hundreds of
millions of kwacha,” Sinyinza said.
“We need officers who are vigilant and patriotic in curbing cross border crime”
The DC added that there was need to deal firmly with people bent on working against
the country’s booming economy through such thefts.
The three arrested men are detained at Nakonde police station and will appear in
court soon.