By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Mufumbwe residents mistook the contents of a first aid box thinking it was products used in gassing people.
The mob blocked the road between Manyinga and Mufumbwe using logs and stones stopping motor vehicles among them, a Power Tools Bus and demanded to conduct a search on the bus.
Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo said the mob searched the bus and found a first aid kit containing pain killers, bandages, methylated spirit, gloves and a small axe as per road traffic regulations became suspicious after seeing an axe.
Ms Katongo said the police are experiencing an emerging tendency where members of the public are blocking public roads and searching motor vehicles.
She said the mob suspected that they are people carrying chemical substances being used in suspected chemical spraying cases currently being experienced in some parts of the currently.
Ms Katongo said that it was an act of criminality where some criminals would want to take advantage of the prevailing situation to attack unsuspecting members of the public and steal from them.
She said a similar situation was experienced in Kafue yesterday between 18 00 hours and 20 00 hours and also around 06 00 hours where a mob blocked the road between Kafue Gorge turn off and Shamikobo area.
Ms Katongo said the mob also were stopping and searching motor vehicles and caused damage to five motor vehicles.
She said Police have arrested eight people for riotous behavior who are currently detained in police custody.
“We are therefore warning all those who have adopted this tendency or those contemplating the same that as police we will not take this criminality lightly. We urge members of the public to desist from this criminal act and avoid involving themselves in duties which are not within their mandate,” she said.
Meanwhile, investigations have been launched in a report of Malicious Administering of Chemical substance which was reported at Arthur Wina School in a grade 9 class. This happened today between 12 00 hours and 12 30 hours.
Ms Katongo said in Northern Province in Nseluka area, there was a report of mob justice in which members of the public have killed an unidentified man and later dressed him in a combat police uniform found in the victim’s motor vehicle.
She said this was after members of the public suspected the deceased who was in the area in the company of his colleague to be behind chemical spraying in the area.
Ms Katongo said upon interrogations, the friend to the victim ran away. The mob searched the victim’s car and found a pair of police combat uniform which they dressed him after killing him and later set the victim’s motor vehicle on fire.
She said investigations have been instituted to establish the source of the police combat uniform.
In another development, 27 people were arrested in the early hours of today by a joint operation team in Mtendere Compound for conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.
Ms Katongo said 22 various offensive weapons were recovered from them.
She said after screening, those linked to the offensive weapons are likely to be charged with possession of offensive weapons.
Ms Katongo said all those who would want to conduct patrols in their communities should do so in liaison with police in their respective areas. All those that will be found moving round communities on pretext of conducting patrols without police blessings will be dealt with accordingly.
In Chongwe, Police also recorded a riotous behavior which was sparked after word went round that police had detained some suspects behind chemical spraying in the area.
She said the people then went to the police station in the area demanding the release of the said suspects with a view of killing them.
“The mob later went to the streets where they staged riots,” she said.
