NOEL IYOMBWA writes
POLICE in Petauke, Eastern province have arrested a man for impersonating Lusaka province minister Bowman Lusambo.
Patrick Phiri has been going round scamming people across Eastern Province especially the business community off huge sums of money pretending to be Lusaka province minister Bowman Lusambo.
Eastern province police commissioner confirmed the development in a phone interview.
He said the suspect was arrested on 10 hours in Petauke and has been transferred to Chipata police station.
Mr Sakala said that the suspect will appear in court soon.
It is alleged that the suspect on a number of occasions, had been calling Mr Lusambo’s friends, Cabinet colleagues and some business people with desperate pleas for financial assistance to apparently sort out some pressing financial issue.
Some companies and individuals ended up falling prey to this fraud in the honest belief that they were extending their help to Mr Lusambo.
And the Lusaka Province minister has warned any other criminals that could be involved in the same scam that they will soon meet their Waterloo just like Patrick.
“If any of you receive a phone call purporting to becoming from me and asking for financial assistance, please disregard it and immediately call ZICTA on 7070 to report such scams.
“For those contemplating joining such fraud rings, know that the law will soon catch up with you and you shall be prosecuted for the offence of impersonation contrary to section 102(b) of the penal Code Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia and for the office of obtaining money by false pretense contrary to section 309 of the penal, code Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia,” Mr Lusambo posted on his Facebook page.
