Kapiri Police recover stolen copper

Kapiri Police recover stolen copper

Kapiri Mposhi, February13, ZANIS —- Police in Kapiri Mposhi have recovered a truck laden with copper blisters which was hijacked along the Mkushi- Kapiri Mposhi road on Monday.

The police have also rescued the Lorryboy of the same truck who was abducted and beaten-up by the assailants and left tied to a tree in the bush.

Central Province Police Commissioner, Standwell Lungu confirmed the development to ZANIS saying police have launched and intensified investigations to apprehend the hijackers.

The Scania truck Horse registration number T 474 ANA and Trailer registration number T 303 ABD carrying 50 blisters of copper worth over KR 1.5 million belonging to Impala Company of Tanzania was driven by Gabriel Sesha, 26, a Tanzanian national.

Mr Lungu said the truck was stopped and seized by four men on a white Toyota Spacio vehicle who pretended to be RTSA high way patrol officers around 19:00 hours on Monday.

He said the assailants beat up and abducted the lorry boy only identified as Iddy before forcing the driver of the truck to u-turn to Kapiri Mposhi and branched off at an illegal lay by where they later dumped him.

The truck was recovered intact in the bush some 20 Kilometers away from Kapiri Mposhi in the early morning on yesterday after the driver managed to find his way and reported the incident to the police.

“We have successfully recovered the truck carrying 50 copper blisters destined to Tanzania which was snatched from a driver and his lorry boy along the Kapiri Mposhi Mkushi road, we are also making investigation to arrest the culprits who impersonated as RTSA officers to hijack the vehicle,” Mr Lungu said.

He said the Lorry boy who was also found tied to a tree in the bush has been admitted to Kapiri Mposhi district hospital nursing facial injuries and a swollen lip sustained from the beating.

The Police Commissioner said quick action by police prevented the bandits from off-loading the copper from the truck which they later abandoned after noting police was trailing them.

Cases of theft of goods in transit such as copper are rampant along the Mkushi- Kapiri road.