Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga has revealed that the ZNBC cables which were stolen by two employees with the help of outsiders were sold to Chinese nationals at K11,000.

Katanga told News Diggers! in an interview that by the time the suspects led police to the buyer, a Chinese national, the cables weighing about 400kgs had been smelted.

On Tuesday, Riverside police arrested two ZNBC employees, a cameraman and a driver, for allegedly stealing digital migration cables.

But Katanga refused to give any further details until yesterday when she revealed that even a police officer who was stationed at ZNBC was involved.

“Riverside police, Kitwe, received a report of getting into a building and committing a felony therein which occurred between 26th August 2018 at 18:00 hours and 27th August 2018 at 08:30 at ZNBC studios in Kitwe. A report was received from Philip Ngoma, 38, an IT technician who reported on behalf of ZNBC that unknown criminals broke into the back studio and stole from therein about 20 meters of armoured power cable whose value was not ascertained. So after that, police visited the scene and instituted investigations. After thorough investigations, it led to the apprehension of two employees, who also led to the buyer of the same cables that were stolen,” Katanga narrated.

“The two employees are Mathews Moono, 28, a cameraman from ZNBC Kitwe also of House No. 1390 Kwacha township, Kitwe and Lukama Madson, 27, a driver of Kitwe also of House number 2224, Chimwemwe township, Kitwe who were picked up by police for interviews. It was later disclosed that 20 armoured power cables from ZNBC premises were stolen also with the help of outsiders. This later led to the apprehension of Rabson Chiluba Jnr of House No. 2827 Kwacha East who also led the police to a buyer, a Chinese National and owner of a company called Luena situated along Government Road in Chimwemwe Township by the names of Suya Yang, 50, of house no. 5876 of Buyatanshi township, Kitwe. It was later established that 400 Kg of the armoured cables were sold to the Chinese at K11,000, according to the information.”

She said when police visited the buyer’s house, they only found the insulator as the rest of the cable had been smelted.

“When police visited the scene, they only recovered an outside insulator for the cable from the Chinese. The other one is believed to have been disposed off. Also involved in the case, was a police officer who was implicated, also of ZNBC identified as Constable Kapela of Kitwe who was also picked and later apprehended and charged for the subject offense. The four are detained at Riverside Police and Investigations are still underway. So when they got to the Chinese, they found that the 400 Kg of cable were smelted and that K11,000, they shared and part of the money, it seems it was given to some other officer who is also implicated,” said Katanga.