Police foil plot by conmen to swindle Mpika businessman

JUST few days after the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), the Police and other security wings busted one of the largest ever cyber-crime syndicate, four men of Lusaka yesterday attempted to swindle Andrew Zulu, a 25-year old man of Mpika of his mineral purity testing machine which he had advertised online.

The four men, who posed as police officers presented to Mr Zulu US$800 and K23, 100, counterfeit notes for the mineral purity testing machine valued at K70, 000.

But Mr Zulu, a businessman who had travelled to Lusaka for the transaction smelt a rat when he met the four men.

According to police, when the suspects - Martin Mulonda, 53, Felix Kasanga, 42, Martin Kabwe, 36, and Moses Lugena, 32, all of Lusaka - realised that Mr Zulu had noticed that the notes were fake, they attempted to drive away with him in the vehicle.

“In an attempt to evade capture, the suspects attempted to flee with Mr Zulu in the vehicle. However, he managed to alert nearby officers at the Westwood Police checkpoint, prompting swift action from the law enforcement officers, leading to the impoundment of the motor vehicle involved,” Mr Rae Hamoonga, the Public Relations Officer of the Zambia Police Service said in a statement yesterday.

The quartet is in police custody as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) in a joint operation with the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), and Immigration Department, the National Anti-Terrorism Centre (NAC), and the Zambia Police arrested five people from Precision Royal Beverages Limited for illegal production and supply of beverages, packaged water, and immigration-related offences.

In a joint statement by Onishias Maamba, the Public Relations Officer of ZCSA and his counterpart Mwenge Mulenga from DEC, Royal Beverages was engaged in the production and supply of packaged water and other beverages without a permit from ZCSA and was devoid of the requisite minimum parameters for production, which was contrary to the provisions of the law.

The suspects were identified as Derrick Mukwemba, 36, Jonathan Mukwaya, 38, Geoffrey Kayemba, 51, Mediotrice Habonimana, 24 and Sameal Mwanza, 52, a Ugandan with a Zambian National Registration card.

“All the suspects reside within the premises of the company building in Barlastone, off Mungwi Road in Lusaka West. During the operation, a thorough search was done, which resulted in the seizure of 1, 610 cases of Royal Sachet Water, 955 cases of Royal Kumbucha Fermented Tea, 349 cases of Royal Kumbucha, and 48 cases of Royal Ginger Wine,” the statement read in part.

The suspects had been operating without a licence as required by the Compulsory Standards Act and they had been packaging water in unsanitary conditions, thereby posing a risk to the safety of consumers.

Mr Derrick Mukwemba, Finance and Administration Officer at Precision Royal Beverages Limited had been put in custody to help with the investigations, and he was likely to face charges, among them tax evasion and money laundering-related offences.

Three vehicles were seized at the premises.