Cops shoot, kill Kabwe suspect

WHAT started as a mission to recover suspected stolen household goods by a team of police officers in Kabwe’s Makululu township ended in tragedy after one of the suspects attempted to axe a police officer prompting them to retaliate by shooting one suspect to death.
The suspect identified as Charles Chanda caused panic among police officers after he pretended to show the officers stolen items but picked an axe and attempted to hit one of the officers before taking to the heels forcing the officers to fire warning shots.
The incident, which happened around 14:00 hours on Saturday, occurred when a team of officers were led to a house by one of the suspects identified as Alfred Mutale where household goods stolen from Chowa Township were hidden.
On arrival at the house, the other suspect Chanda popularly known as ‘uncle Charlie’ entered the house and pretended to be showing the officers some stolen items but came out with an axe and attempted to hit an officer.
Police fired warning shots after the two men started running away and in the process Chanda was shot in the back and was rushed to the hospital but died yesterday, while Mutale managed to escape.
An eye witness, Mary Mulenga said after hearing the gun shots she went to hide in the house with her children.
Ms Mulenga said she was shocked to see the household goods in the house next to hers which was being used by the suspects but said she never saw any activities because the house was always locked.
Another resident Andrew Mwanza paid tribute to the police for their professional manner in which they handled the matter, saying if the officers had not been careful, some residents would have been caught up in the confusion with stray bullets.
A check at the house found several household goods, among them television sets, radios, DVD players whose value was estimated at more than K30,000.
The goods were suspected to have been stolen from Chowa Township which had suffered several break-ins in the last few weeks.