A CROCODILE yesterday caused commotion in Kitwe’s Mulenga Township when it strayed into a fish pond, which is still under construction and was spotted by the residents who raised alarm.
The crocodile was first spotted on Sunday in the fish pond being constructed by one of the residents settled near Kamatemate stream within Mulenga Township but the residents could not kill it that day, as the reptile went undercover by hiding in the mud.
The residents, however, managed to kill the crocodile yesterday morning after they drained all the water leaving the pond with mud from where the reptile was exposed to the merciless residents who immediately stoned it to death.
Members of the crime prevention unit, then picked the dead crocodile and took it to Mulenga Police Post where, apparently, some people spread falsehoods that the reptile was part human being.
This raised curiosity among the residents with scores of people besieging the police post to verify the crocodile-human being news.
Mulenga Community Crime Prevention Unit chairperson Rabby Senbente said the falsehood about the crocodile-human being sparked commotion around 09:00 hours among the residents who took what they heard as gospel truth.
Mr Senbente said the situation was only prevented from degenerating into a riot by the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officials who, after receiving the report went to the police Post to pick the dead reptile.
A Times crew that rushed to the scene around 09:00 hours, found ZAWA officers had just picked
up the crocodile.