By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA and JAMES KUNDA –

. KATANGA

A WOMAN of Mufulira, on the Copperbelt, has been stabbed eight times, during a suspected rape attempt.
The victim, aged 20, is currently nursing injuries in hospital while her assailant is in police custody facing attempted murder and rape charges.
Copperbelt Police chief, Charity Katanga, said the attempted rape took place at a named lodge in Mufulira, where the victim worked.
Ms Kantanga named the suspect as Musonda Mwansa, who was believed to have had been conducting renovation works at the lodge, when he pounced on the woman.
“The suspect took advantage of the absence of other people to try and rape the victim,” Ms Katanga said.
The suspect allegedly tore the victims’ trousers before stabbing her eight times in the neck and arm.
In Lusaka, four people died after being hit by motor vehicles in separate accidents that occurred at the weekend.
All the four accidents occurred on Saturday between 18:30 hours and 22:40 hours, as the pedestrians were crossing roads at different points.
Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said this in a statement in Lusaka yesterday.
The first accident happened at around 18:30 hours along Central Road, where a Toyota Hiace minibus registration number ALK 9711 driven by James Phiri, 53, hit Edwin Kayombo, 52, a resident of George Township.
Mr Kayombo, who was the only one of the deceased to be identified, died on arrival at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
The other accident was a hit-and-run, involving an unidentified victim at around 20:00 hours along Burma Road near Faire Road junction.
“The other one happened at around 20:00 hours along the Kafue Road at J and J, in which Steve Taonga, 30, of Chilanga was hit by a Toyota Hiace minibus. The driver picked the victim and rushed him to Chilanga Clinic.
“The victim was pronounced dead on arrival and the driver then ran away without giving any details to the medical staff,” Ms Chanda said.
The last accident was also a hit-and-run, which occurred at around 22:40 hours along Leopards Hill Road near Mazoka Farm when a Toyota Hiace mini bus registration number ATB 2099, driven by Chanda Mwape, 30, knocked down an unidentified person.
Two of the drivers had since been apprehended and are in Police custody, facing charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
“All the four bodies are in UTH mortuary awaiting postmortem and identification,” Ms Chanda said.
Meanwhile, a 32-year-old security guard for China Geo has been killed by suspected criminals during a robbery in Chililabombwe.
It was believed the victim was attacked using iron bars.
The security guard was killed on Sunday morning by the suspected assailants who went to steal electrical cables from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) shaft-three crusher plant, where the deceased was operating from.
Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga confirmed the incidence, which happened around 04:00 hours and identified the deceased as Ossain Mfula.
Ms Katanga said the deceased was on duty with two other workmates, when criminals he was attacked.
She said the criminals confronted the security guards and started hitting them using iron bars, leaving one dead and two others injured.
Ms Katanga said the injured security guards were taken to Konkola Mine Hospital, where they were admitted.
She said police after being informed, trailed the criminals and managed to recover some items that included 70-meter 11 Kv cable, a grinder chain block and three heavy-duty batteries, which were
abandoned in the bush.
“Police managed to apprehend one of the suspects, who is currently in custody helping with investigations,” she said.