Katondo Court building in Kabwe yesterday went up in flames in unclear circumstances.

And in Choma, unknown people burnt down a makeshift warehouse at Makalangu Market in Choma, destroying property worth thousands of Kwacha.

Kabwe Mayor Prince Chileshe confirmed that the entire building housing the court had been gutted.

“I arrived on the scene at 02:30hrs. The Zambia Police are investigating the cause of the fire but the guard on duty says he just heard a loud noise like a gunshot or fire work. The next thing the documents caught fire, the ceiling board and the whole building was on fire,” said Chileshe.

And in Choma, Southern Province police commissioner Bonny Kapeso revealed that a makeshift warehouse had been set on fire by unknown people at Makalangu Market in Choma in the early hours of today.

“This is a building where marketeers leave their merchandise after knocking off. The fire started at about 01:50 hours today and was put off around 03:00 hours by the Choma Fire Tenders. The situation is peaceful and police officers have been deployed to deal with perpetrators of violence, should need arise. And police officers in all the districts of Southern Province have been placed on red alert following fears of destabilization in the province,” stated Kapeso.

On Sunday, Chalimbana University in Chongwe and over 120 shops at Kamwala Market were burnt in similar circumstances.

No arrests have been made so far and the causes of all the fires remain unknown.

Meanwhile, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is this morning expected to appear in court.