Kitwe gangsters’ audacity narrated

By NATION REPORTER A TAXI driver has narrated in a Kitwe magistrate`s court how five members of the 100 gang armed with weapons assaulted a man and drove him in a convoy of three vehicles to Mulenga police post where they abandoned him and fled.

Alex Mwansa 26, said the youths, whom he later learnt were armed, stopped him at Kamfinsa bus station in Mulenga township on March 27, this year around 12:30 hours and ordered him drive them into town and back.

Two other vehicles joined them, making a convoy as they drove to town and the occupants were armed with slashers and golf sticks.

This is in the case of the five 100 gang members, Chibolya Junipa Gondwe 23, Makelo Mubita 21, Richard Gondwe 21 and two Juveniles.

Mr Mwansa said the cars then stopped at `After Ten` at the junction in town and armed men came out of the two other vehicles. The youths, who were in his vehicle, also came out.

He said there were a lot of people at the junction and suddenly the men came back, dragging an injured man who was bleeding from the head and they bundled him into his vehicle.

He told Principal Resident Magistrate Chongo Musonda that the youths then ordered him to follow the two other vehicles along the Kitwe-Ndola dual carriageway back to Mulenga township.

As they drove back, the youths continued beating the man until they reached Kamfinsa station in Mulenga Township where they ordered him to stop the vehicle.

At his point, he said, he gained some courage and refused to stop because he had realised the seriousness of the matter and feared that he could get implicated in the assault.

Mr Mwansa then sped past the station and drove straight to Mulenga Police post, but the youths jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled. He reported the matter to the police and the injured man was rushed to the hospital.

The five members of the notorious 100 gang are charged with two counts of assault, one count of unlawful wounding and one count of kidnapping and abducting.

Another witness, Richard Chilembo, told the court how the five youths beat him with a plank and also punched and kicked him, leaving him unconscious.

This is in a different incident at Kamfinsa bus stop.

And Mulenga Mwaba, in his testimony narrated how he watched Mr Chilembo being beaten mercilessly by the youths who threatened that they would burn his parents` house if he dared intervened in the fight.

In the first count, the five on March 27, this year are alleged to have unlawfully wounded Collins Chanda while in the second, one of the two juveniles is charged with assault on Elizabeth Mulenga occasioning her actual bodily harm.

In count three the five are charged with assault which occurred on May 12, this year.

In the fourth count, the five are charged with Kidnapping and abducting Collins Chanda in order to put him in danger and subject him to slavery.

The matter has been adjourned to June 8, this year for continued trial.