A SUSPECTED notorious criminal, who was allegedly behind a number of murder and arson cases in Muchinga province, has been brutally killed by a mob in Kanyala village in Isoka district.
The deceased had been on a police wanted list in Muchinga province.
Muchinga Division Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO), Kenneth Nkhuwa, confirmed the incident to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali yesterday.
Mr. Nkhuwa said two home-made guns were found beside the body of the deceased person and have since been kept by the police as exhibits.
He identified the deceased man as Lombani Simuchimba aged 29, of no fixed abode.
Mr. Nkhuwa said Simuchimba was killed by an instant mob after he attempted to shoot another man using a home-made gun.
“The incident happened at Namwenda village in chief Katyetye’s chiefdom in Isoka district and was reported by Binwell Musongole aged 48 years of the same village to the effect that Lombani Simuchimba, aged 29 years, of no fixed abode was murdered by an instant justice mob,” said Mr. Nkhuwa.
He said brief facts of the matter are that Simuchimba, now deceased, was a notorious criminal who was wanted for murder of Moses Nyelu of Namwenda village.
He explained that on December 22, 2021, Simuchimba allegedly shot dead Moses Nyelu using an unknown type of firearm.
He added that Simuchimba was also wanted for an offence of arson for allegedly setting on fire a house belonging to a Mr. Watson Sinkala on December 15, 2021.
Mr. Nkhuwa further disclosed that Simuchimba met his fate yesterday after he attempted to kill another man identified as John Sinkala aged 54 of Namwenda village.
He said Simuchimba opened fire on Sinkala twice but missed him.
Mr. Nkhuwa narrated that on December 23, 2021 at around 19:00 hours, 54-year-old John Sinkala of Namwenda village in chief Katyetye’s chiefdom was at home with his family when he heard dogs barking.
“He then went outside to check what was happening. Shockingly, while outside he heard a gunshot and immediately realised that he had just been narrowly missed by bullets. When he looked to the direction where the gun fire came from, he saw a human figure which he decided to pursue while shouting for help,” said Mr. Nkhuwa.
He added that, “as he got closer to the gunman, another gunshot went off and again it narrowly missed hitting him but by that time the alerted members of the village had already gathered and they quickly descended on the gunman whom they beat to death”.
Mr. Nkhuwa said the gunman was identified by the villagers as Lombani Simuchimba who has been terrorising the whole Kanyala community with various types of crimes.
“Acting on the matter, officers visited the scene and reported that the deceased was found lying on the ground facing up. His head was completely crushed and there were several stones surrounding his body,” Mr. Nkhuwa explained.
He said two home-made firearms belonging to the deceased were also found beside his body and are being kept by the police exhibits.
The Muchinga Division Criminal Investigation Officer said a docket on the case has since been opened and no arrests have been made so far.
Mr. Nkhuwa said the body of the deceased has been deposited in Isoka district hospital mortuary but no relatives have so far come forward to claim it.
And some local sources have told ZANIS that the late Simuchimba belonged to a group of people known as “wajambazi” who were being hired by local people to kill those suspected to be practicing witchcraft.
The hired assailants used to be paid between K3, 000 and K5, 000 or six herds of cattle for a successful assassination. ZANIS
