CHANDA

By XAVIER MANCHISHI-

THIRTEEN suspects facing serious offences have escaped from a police post in Lusaka’s notorious Chibolya Township.

The 13 are facing offences ranging from murder, aggravated robbery, theft from motor vehicles, breaking into a building, assault and petty theft.

Zambia police spokesperson, Charity Munganga-Chanda said the suspects escaped from custody around 08:00 hours yesterday.

“We are appealing to members of the public with information leading to the apprehension of the suspects to report to the nearest police station,” Ms Chanda said.

The escape of the suspects from Chibolya police post comes barely three days after a Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) operation in the notorious township where more than 56 people were arrested for drug trafficking activities.
Police and the DEC have over the years struggled to clean up drug trafficking in Chibolya Township leaving the illicit drug dealers to operate freely selling cannabis, cocaine, heroin and other drugs openly.
In an unprecedented move on Sunday, DEC officers raided Chibolya market to check for drugs which annoyed the traders who fought back in skirmishes that saw 10 people being arrested while two private cars were burnt in the process.

In the chaotic scenes that ensued, police who were called in for re-inforcement fired teargas which left a combination of teargas and smoke from burning tyres billowing around the market as the officers overpowered the stone-throwing marketeers.

Home Affiars Deputy Minister Stephen Kampyongo said Sunday’s operation in Chibolya was the fifth successful outing the DEC has had in the area in recent time as Government takes a serious approach to rid the notorious area of drug activities.