By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Police in Lusaka say they have arrested one suspect aged 29 and identity withheld in the matter where a police officer was seen being roughed up by criminals clad in political regalia in a video that went viral.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo adds that the suspect was arrested after a report of aggravated robbery and abduction was reported at Matero Police by Mbwanga Moonga who reported that the suspected cadres pounced on him in Chunga Compound near Nelson Mandela School.
“The suspect grabbed Mr Moonga’s keys of his Allion motor vehicle and bundled him in the boot of the motor vehicle and drove off to Mutumbi Cemetery where they robbed him of his K10, 000 and threatened to kill him if he did not give them more money, They are alleged to have later drove him to Ngombe Compound at an Airtel booth where they ordered him to withdraw money, however the mobile money agent at the booth did not have the cash and that was when they began beating him,” she said.
Ms Katongo said that this attracted the attention of the lone police officer who tried to intervene but was overpowered and was locked in a nearby restaurant.
“The criminals are alleged to have driven their captive to Matero Township where they forced him to transfer K5, 000 to their mobile money which he did and they let go of him, after sharing the K15,000 amongst themselves, the suspects are alleged to have gone on a drinking spree in Ngwerere where they are reported to have assaulted another member of the public and one of them was arrested by Ngwerere Police,” she said.
Ms Katongo said that the suspect was later identified to be one of the criminals in the circulating video in which an officer was harassed and a K2,000 was recovered from him.
She said that a manhunt for the other criminals involved has been launched and a docket of Assault on the police officer has been opened and investigations have continued.
