Police in Senaga district of Western Province are investigating a case in which a 21-year-old man and a 15 year-old juvenile were found in possession of suspected human remains.
Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Charity Munganga named the 21-year-old man as Wamunyima Mwendabai of Nambowe village in Shangombo district who is suspected to have been acting together with a 15 year old juvenile in the crime.
Ms. Munganga said the duo were in possession of human body parts comprising of a skull, teeth and pubic hair.
In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Ms. Munganga said the two were arrested on 2nd July 2013 around 20:00 hours as they were trying to sell the parts to a witchdoctor.
She explained that the alert witchdoctor later reported the case to the police.
Ms. Munganga said the duo was claiming to have found the suspected remains in the Kalongola/Liombo forest but police were yet to establish the source of the suspected human parts.
She said police have since engaged experts to determine whether the remains are for a human being or not.
Meanwhile, Police in Chipata are investigating a case in which one man died on the spot while two others sustained injuries when the Mitsubishi Canter Registration number ABG 4822 they were in was shot at by unknown people using an unknown type of firearm.
Ms. Munganga identified the victims as Norwel Phiri aged between 25 and 30 was who was shot in the chest while the driver Fabian Soko and George Phiri, a passenger sustained multiple injuries.
She said the trio was ferrying 27 bales of tobacco from Mkanda’s Kambani area when the shooting happened at Lundazi turn off.
Ms. Munganga said initial investigations at the crime scene revealed that the criminals were aiming at the driver but missed him and shot at the passenger as the windscreen on the driver’s side was completely shattered.
She stated that the incident occurred yesterday, 7th July 2013, at an unknown time in Mkanda area in Lundazi district.
The body of the deceased is lying in Chipata General Hospital mortuary whilst the injured are admitted at the same hospital.
And police have assured members of the public that they are working round the clock to bring the culprits responsible for the rampant killings across the country to book.
Ms. Munganga said the police are doing their work to guarantee the safety of all Zambians.
She said police were making headway in bringing the culprits to book but could not give further information as it would jeopardize their investigations.
She said police were working hand in hand with members of the public and other law enforcement agencies to curb the crimes.
Ms. Munganga has since urged members of the public who may have information on any of the killings to inform the police and assured the informers that they would be protected.
She said police have not yet established whether or not any of the recent killings especially in Lusaka are in any way ritualistic.
She said members of the public should not to rush to conclusions that the killings were ritualistic.
Ms. Munganga assured the public that police will remain professional in their operations and will work hard to ensure that citizens live in a crime free environment.
Recently, the country has experienced a number of killings with the recent one being that of a man whose body was found dumped in Kamwala South in Lusaka with both his eyes plucked out and tongue missing.