By MAYA NTANDA and JULIUS PHIRI –
THREE Standard Chartered Bank employees and a security guard are still in detention to help police with investigations in the case in which the bank in Kitwe was broken into and an undisclosed amount of money stolen.
On January 12, this year, Standard Chartered Bank was broken into and an undisclosed amount of money snatched from the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) strong room.
The suspected criminals allegedly attacked and overpowered three ATM custodians who were loading money into the ATM machine at the Town Centre Branch on Oxford Road in Kitwe.
This led to the detention of Freddie Kaonga, 35, of Ndeke Township, Kawina Muneka, 29, of Nkana East, Matilda Zulu, 30, of  Mukuba Natwange area and Benny Sakandandu, 44, to help police with investigations.
Acting Copperbelt police commissioner Joyce Kasosa said the four had not yet been arrested or charged formally as investigations were still going on.
Ms Kasosa said in an interview yesterday that the employees were still in detention even though they had not formally been charged.
“We are still investigating and the four who were picked to help with investigations have remained in detention since the case was reported as aggravated robbery which is non-bailable,” Ms Kasosa said.
Meanwhile, police in Chipata have arrested 20 people for being in possession of 198 ‘balls’ of cannabis.
On Saturday, police, working with the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), arrested 13 people while seven more were arrested in Nabvutika Township on Monday.
Eastern Province police commissioner Grace Chipalila confirmed the arrest of the 20 who were charge for being in possession of cannabis.
Ms Chipalila said the police together with DEC carried out an operation after a tip from members of the public.
There was commotion at Chipata Central Police Station when some Nabvutika residents tried to force their way into the police station to secure the release of their colleagues.
Riot police officers prevented the angry mob from damaging the police station.