By ROGERS KALERO
ONE person has been shot dead while another one is nursing serious gunshot wounds after a botched mealie meal smuggling mission in Kasumbalesa.
Zambia National Service (ZNS) soldiers intercepted a group of people who had stacks of mealie meal which they tried to ferry into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from Zambia compound.
The group became unruly and started throwing stones and other missiles at the ZNS soldiers, who had been deployed to curb smuggling of the staple food.
Copperbelt Commissioner of Police, Charity Katanga, said the incident happened yesterday and identified the dead man as a farmer, George Chibolya, aged 67 of house number F171.
She said Gladson Chipili 18, was shot and wounded and taken to the hospital where he was admitted. Both came from Zambia Compound.
Ms Katanga said the incident happened between 05:40 hours and 06:20 hours after the ZNS soldiers found a group of people smuggling mealie meal using undesignated routes in the bush.
“Then irate people started throwing stones at the soldiers and blocked the international road, a situation which forced the ZNS soldiers to respond by firing gunshots.
Chililabombwe Member of Parliament Richard Musukwa who is minister of Mines said smuggling is illegal and as a lawmaker, “I will not entertain such things.”
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