THE only man found gasping for breath on a pile of 27 bodies dumped in Lusaka’s Meanwood Khosi area, two weeks ago, has died in the University Teaching Hospital, police sources have revealed.
Last week, police said the man who was found gasping for breath from the 27 unexplained dead Ethiopians who were dumped in Meanwood Khosi along Chaminuka road in Lusaka was unstable.
Police Deputy Spokesperson Danny Mwale said the man had not gained consciousness and the doctors from the University Teaching Hospital where he was receiving treatment advised that he needed more time.
But according to sources, the man lost the battle yesterday, bringing the death toll from the trunk dump to 28.
On December 11, 2022 residents in Lusaka’s Ngwerere area found the dead Ethiopians around 06:00 hours.
Police officers were alerted and quickly rushed to the scene where they found one gasping for life.
He was rushed to the hospital by a concerned member of the public where he was receiving medical attention.
According to police, preliminary investigations indicate that 28 persons, all males aged between 20 and 38, were dumped in Meanwood Nkhosi along Chiminuka Road in Ngwerere area by unidentified people.
Out of the 28 persons, one was found gasping for life. They are all believed to be Ethiopian nationals.
And police have arrested some suspects in the case relating to the deaths.
Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu said police had also identified that a tipper truck was used to ferry and dump the bodies.
Giving a ministerial statement in the National Assembly recently, Mr. Mwiimbu said preliminary investigations so far indicate that the victims were all males aged between 20 and 40 and were dumped by unknown people suspected to be human traffickers or smugglers.
He however stated that investigations are being conducted to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book and to establish the countries where the victims may have come from.
The minister said all the 27 bodies were deposited in the University Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting possible formal identification and postmortem.
Mr. Mwiimbu said the survivor was in a medical facility where he was receiving medical attention.
He stated that suspected cases of human trafficking and smuggling are on the increase in Zambia.
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