Maravi

Mufulira residents run amock

Mufulira residents run amock
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 17 Feb. 2012, 11:59 CAT

THE Copperbelt police command has appealed to Mufulira residents to remain calm and allow the law to take its course over the case involving a local businessman accused of practicing satanism.

Mufulira resident on Wednesday afternoon ran amok and destroyed property worth millions of kwacha including two houses and a shop belonging to a businessman identified as Chuma after the matter which is still in the local court in Mufulira was adjourned.

The residents ran amok when the local court adjourned a case in which the businessman is alleged to be hind disappearance of a 19-year-boy identified as Charles Muyanshi who went missing three years ago.

Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo said it was unfortunate that the residents had also destroyed Kankoyo police station where the man was whisked for safety.

Tembo said the police made no arrests but had managed to calm the situation.

"By the time I was pulling out of Mufulira at mid night (Wednesday) I left officers deployed in various places to safeguard people's properties. We left some officers in Kantanshi and Kankoyo to monitor the situation and it is relatively calm," Tembo said.

She said the family of the victim was safe.

Tembo said the people had destroyed the houses which he built in various places in Mufulira and the police had advised the tenants to stay away and the police were guarding the houses from further damage.

"People should learn to respect the law. What happened was very unfortunate because this matter is before court and it was adjourned. They should wait for the procedures, a lot of lives would have been lost if we never moved in. They stoned and destroyed their own police post in Kankoyo and now we have to replace the roof and all that is required. People must cooperate with the police and observe law and order," Tembo said.

Labels: MUFULIRA, RELIGION, RIOTS

posted by MrK @ 4:11 PM