A 25-year-old waitress has testified in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court how a man pretending to be a police officer from the criminal crack squad (C5), swindled her out of over K2,000 after promising to find her a job in the police service.

In this matter, Luckson Mwambazi, a 49-year-old businessman of Lusaka’s New Chawama area is appearing in court for allegedly personating a police officer and obtaining over K8,000 from different people on the pretence that he would offer them employment in the public service.

Mwambazi is facing 14 counts of personating public officers contrary to section 102 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 309 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Mwambazi pleaded not guilty before magistrate Victoria Chitulangoma and was granted bail.

It is alleged that on January 30, last year, in Lusaka, Mwambazi with intent to defraud and deceive, obtained K2,000 from Given Chishala by falsely pretending that he would offer him employment in the public service when in fact not.

It is further alleged that on the same date, the accused obtained K2,020 from Namonga Zulu, K1,132 from Petronella Aongola, K800 from Fredrick Simukoko, K900 from Obrey Mweelwa, K600 from Sara Phiri and another K900 from Mathews Sokoni by falsely pretending that he would offer them employment in the Public service when in fact not.

When the matter came up for trial, Monday, Namonga Zulu, 25, told the court that she gave Mwambazi amounts totaling K2,020 on separate occasions, upon his request.

She testified that on April 1, this year, Mwambazi introduced himself as a C5 senior officer and that he had 10 employment places to officer.

Zulu said she believed Mwambazi as he had a Zambia Police identification card, adding that she gave him photocopies of her credentials and her young brother’s documents.

She further said the accused then asked for K600 saying he would know what to do and that she should trust him.

Zulu said she later gave him a K400 which he said was for medicals and another K140 meant for boots.

“I later gave him a K400 which he said was for medicals and fingerprint for me and my brother and a few days later he came to ask for K140 meant for boots and promised everything was in place,” she said.

Zulu told the court that Mwambazi further asked for a K250 as accommodation fee and K140 meant for forms to confirm that Zulu and her brother were police officers.

The witness said she told Mwambazi that he was not going to get any money from her until she was confirmed to be a trainee at Lilayi and her brother at Sondela like he promised.

Zulu said after that, she only came to hear of Mwambazi after he was in custody and police requesting her to give a statement.

She further said when Mwambazi was asked by police if he was a police officer, he replied in the negative.

Trial continues.