GLORIA KANGWA writes
@SunZambian
EIGHT men, among them an administrative officer in the Ministry of Health have been arrested in Solwezi for being in possession of over K96, 000 counterfeit Kwacha notes.
Provincial commissioner of police Hudson Namachila confirmed the arrest of the men after a tip off from members of public.
Mr Namachila said the suspects were arrested on May 21 around 01.00 hours when police officers pounced on the men in Solwezi’s Kamasala area.
“A huge sum of counterfeits Kwacha notes are already in public circulation and we have arrested eight men, among them an administrative officer Kasakulla Mutanaka, 42 under the Ministry of Health attached at provincial headquarters in connection with fake bank notes,” he said.
Mr Namachila said apart from Mutanaka of house number 1P 3367 in Kitwe, James Tuyai , 51 of plot number 5033R section Chiwempala compound in Chingola was also found with fake money.
“The rest are Jasper Saulombo aged 24 of Kimasala compound, Kapalu Sainkanja aged 40 of house number M9 Kandundu, Sam Musumali aged 43 of Wisdom Compound, Wati Kachindila aged 42 of house number 487 Stadium area, Kezzy Ngalande aged 30 of Sotech area and Philip Mwaanga aged 36 of Mitech area all of Solwezi district,” he said
Mr Namachila said the police also recovered some large quantities of paper used to make fake money and a new micro scope suspected to have been stolen from the hospital.
The police commissioner warned the general public in the province to be security consciousness when handling kwacha transactions with the Expo and maize market season approaching.
“I wish to warn members of the general public to be security conscious when handling kwacha transactions especially now as the Expo and the maize market seasons heat up. There is likely to be more counterfeit notes making rounds on the market,” he said.
Mr Namachila further urged everyone to report to police any suspicious counterfeit bank notes.
