By Agness Changala-Katongo
Police in Central Province has arrested two PF officials for allegedly enganging in illegal mining of Manganese.
In an interview with Daily Revelation, Central Province police Commissioner Chola Katanga identified the officials who were arrested on Saturday as Simon Mutale and Douglas Banda, both residents of Mkushi.
Commissioner Katanga said the duo had been charged with illegal mining and would appear in court soon.
“Yes I can confirm that an arrest was made on Saturday. We arrested two and the duo will appear in court soon,” Commissioner Katanga said.
He said in this case, there was a report which was made by an official from Mines Ministry.
The Commissioner said since there was a report, the police conducted investigations which led to the arrest of the duo.
“In this case, there was acreport which was made…by an official from the Ministry of a Mines and upon that report, in that report, there was a report a complaint of illegal mining and once investigations are done, the culprit Will always be brought to book,” he said.
He warned would be offenders to desist from engaging in illegal acts as the law would catch up with them.
Last week, Mines and Mineral Resources minister Richard Musukwa visited some manganese mining companies in Central Province and found that two PF officials were extracting manganese in Mkushi district without mining licences.
Musukwa, who was accompanied by Central Province minister and PF Bwacha member of Parliament Sydney Mushanga, took to task Zambia police officers in the area for failing to arrest the PF officials who were illegally mining manganese despite Mkushi district commissioner Luka Mwamba and the Mines Safety Department making formal complaints to the law enforcers in the region.
The minister called on Zambia police to ensure that the named PF officials engaging in illegal mining of manganese were arrested.