Two teenagers die from Chingola copper mining gang violence
By Staff Reporter
Two Chingola teenagers who were allegedly stabbed as three local gangs hacked each other over ‘illegal’ copper mining territories on Sunday have died from their wounds.
And the leaders of the All-Stars, West Kopala and Russian Soldiers gangs which sparked the street violent attacks after a rival gang invaded a high-grade copper territory belonging to the other have appeared in court on assault charges.
Police sources told Newsday Zambia.com on Wednesday that the two teenagers sustained stab wounds during the fracas and they succumbed to the injuries.
Police sources had informed this publication that Chingola was divided into two separate territories which were respectively owned by the All-Stars and West Kopala gangs led by Mohammed Kapandula a.k.a Tablet, while the Russian Soldiers headed by a Mulenga a.k.a Baba Sparks, own the other.
They said these gangs have even acquired unlicensed guns from neighbouring DRC and Angola, and that during the Sunday fracas, they carried knives and pinch-bars which they used to hack each other including members of the public.
“Two teenagers who were stabbed have died from the wounds they sustained during the Sunday fracas,” the sources said. “Meanwhile the two gang leaders were arrested on Mondaynight and were released on Tuesday on bond around 12:00 hours and appeared in court today chargerd with assault. The charge was read to them and they both pleaded not guilty.”
The trial for Baba Sparks, according to court sources, has been set for June 13 while Mohammed Kapandula will be tried on June 23.
“Now both groups are dishing out money to anyone who can come up with an injury so that they can pin it on the other camp and see who will have more cases so that they can be eliminated from the scene,” an intelligence source said. “The police seem not to get this because there is a recording where Kapandula is boasting of having bought the top ranking officers at Chiwempampla police.”
Meanwhile, scores of Chiwempampla residents, mostly women of Kabungo and Chiwempala wards, stormed Chingola Central Police station after hearing that Sparks had been arrested, demanding to know why he was detained.
Police officers said the group were sent away from the station.
“They complained that they never used to have such fracas before Kapandula rebelled against Sparks, saying Kapandula is at the center of this fracas because he wants to dethrone Sparks and become the king of the Debra Mountain which has high-grade copper deposits,” the sources said. “Remember, Mohammed Kapandula was second in command to Baba Sparks.”
*Picture for illustration purpose.
