Following allegations that four Zambia Army Soldiers were found escorting two trucks loaded with mealie-meal and that they were beaten by a mob in Ndola on the Copperbelt Province, the Zambia Army and Police Service have refuted the reports.
In a statement availed to the media yesterday, Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Peacewell Mweemba revealed that five suspects were apprehended by police in Ndola on 25 April in the Zaffico-Chichele plantation for smuggling mealie-meal. Mr. Mweemba further revealed that the suspects disclosed that they had been escorted by four army officers who had received K10, 000 and that they were intercepted by an army captain who beat up the named officers.
In a joint statement, Zambia Army Spokesperson Colonel Martin Kalaluka Liyungu and Zambia Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Danny Mwale have confirmed that on 26 April around midnight, the Zambia Army in conjunction with other security wings successfully conducted an operation were two trucks loaded with 25kg bags of Mealie meal suspected to have been smuggled were impounded.
They have however refuted the allegations and state that should investigations reveal that any Soldiers were involved in escorting the two vessels, the Zambia Army will not hesitate to discipline such elements and the public will be informed accordingly.
