Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu has said that nine among the 13 girls abducted in Lusaka were nursing students, while four were mobile money agents.
Police have since arrested five people in connection with the abduction cases who among the suspects include James Bwalya and Charles Sikaonga.
He said the victims were able to be lured because they were previously in school with the suspects whom they were familiar with.
Mr Mwimbu during a press briefing said that between March 17th and June 18th ,this year four female mobile money agents Faith Muluti aged 28, Pamela Chisumpa aged 21, Paxina Chanda aged 22, and Macwani Nalukui aged 21 were abducted.
“And between August 15th and September 20th this year, nine nursing students from a named University in Chilanga district were abducted from their boarding houses. This made it very difficult as parents thought their children where in school as well as the authorities assuming that students could have gone home,” he said.
He said the first victim was Ms Muluti was abducted by two men in Makeni Simson area and her the abductors impersonated as police officers who were trying to trace a stolen phone.
Mr Mwiimbu said the abductors coerced faith to follow them to a police station and in the process she was abducted.
“On April 13th, this year around 14:00 hours while operating at her booth near shoprite along cairo road, Ms Chisumpa was approached by a person she identified as James Bwalya a former classmate at a named secondary school in Kabwe and in the process she was abducted.
The third victim was Paxina Chanda who on may 14th ,whilst working at her booth situated along Lumumba road, was approached by a person she identified as James Bwalya, a former classmate at a named secondary school in Kabwe and she was picked up from her booth and later got abducted,” he said.
Mr Mwiimbu said the fourth mobile money agent victim Macwani Nalukui on June 18th, whilst operating at her booth along Lumumba road,was approached by a person she identified as Jordan a usual customer at her booth and in the process, she was also abducted.
“As alluded to earlier, other victims included nursing students from a named University in Chilanga district. The first victim was Priscilla Mapulanga aged 23 years old who was abducted by former Classmate and suspect, Bwalya on August 15th. The abductors used similar modus of operadus to lure the other six students from the same University. These are Onesta Lungu aged 25, abducted on August 31st, 2022, Grace Siabeula aged 22, abducted on September 12th, Ruth Banda aged 21, abducted on september 16th , two juveniles aged 17, abducted on September 16th , Agness Kapwaya aged 22 abducted on September 18th and For as Chungwe aged 24 who was abducted on September 20th,” he said
He said the Zambia Police service has so far apprehended and detained five suspects in these cases who include the James Bwalya and Charles Sikaonga who were apprehended with the help from members of the public.
“The police further instituted investigations to establish the claim that one victim was murdered and buried within the same premises. The results of the search so far within the premises showed that there was no dead body that was buried around the same place, but police are still pursuing investigations in the matter and the nation will be informed of progress,” he said.
Mr Mwiimbu has furth appealed to members of the public to be join forces with the police service in the fight against crime.
MWEBANTU
