By MUSONDA MANGILASHI –
SIX people have been arrested by a combined team of Chingola Municipal Council and State police for alleged illegal demarcation of land, bringing the total number of those apprehended to nine.
The council has also threatened to deal with any resident encroaching on other people’s land.
Council public relations manager George Sichinda confirmed this in an interview yesterday.
Mr Sichinda said the council gave plots in Chingola South Extension last year to rightful applicants, but they later faced challenges from some people who were claiming that the land in question belonged to them when they actually had no legal documents to back their claims.
“I want to take this opportunity to warn those that are engaging in illegal land allocations that the council will not sit idle and watch this illegality. Whoever will be found wanting, the law will visit them,” Mr Sichinda said.
He said three people were apprehended last month and were appearing in court, while the six were arrested on Monday this week and were in police custody.
Meanwhile, a group of people disguised as council employees is allegedly allocating land in Gymnkana area illegally.
Mr Sichinda warned members of the public against falling prey to such tricksters.
He said unsuspecting people were being charged between K100 and K500 for a piece of land.
“My appeal to the people who are obtaining land from these people is that they are risking losing their finances, the council is not involved.
“When we are allocating land as council,we advertise and people apply, and then interviews are conducted,” Mr Sichinda said.
He said any structure built without legal documents would be demolished and the council would not be held accountable.