Three Zambians on Interpol wanted list

6/1/13

By SYLVESTER MWALE in Johannesburg  –
A NOTORIOUS Zambian criminal has been placed on the International Police (Interpol) wanted list after eluding a local police dragnet for about three years now, the France-based security organisation has said.
Tony Mulenga, 43, has made his name for motor vehicle thefts as well as robberies in Zambia, but police efforts to bring him to book have yielded nothing.
It is understood that Mulenga was arrested more than three years ago but he escaped from lawful custody, a situation that has prompted the red notice from Interpol.
According to Interpol, Mulenga, who was born in Kasama, Northern Province, is wanted for fraudulent dealings, motor vehicle thefts and unlawful escape from custody.
Zambia Police assistant public relations officer Charity Mung’anga Chanda confirmed in separate interviews during the week that Mulenga had been on the police wanted list for a long time.
“Tony Mulenga is a notorious criminal and has been wanted for a long time here, and it is not surprising that he has been placed on the Interpol list,” Ms Chanda said.
Meanwhile, two more Zambians have been added to the Interpol’s red notice list after they disappeared from Zambia following accusations of forgery and uttering of documents.
This brings the number of Zambians to appear on the Interpol list to seven in recent weeks after three women and a man were listed for jumping bail in Botswana on suspicion of involving themselves in illegal ivory trade.
Simahwa Libanga, 34, and 28-year-old Moses Siame were recently placed on Interpol’s website as wanted persons for crimes committed during the course of their employment.
Libanga, who only speaks English, is wanted by the judicial and police services in Zambia to answer to charges of uttering of documents and theft by public servant contrary to the laws of the land.
Ms Chanda said Siame was also wanted for similar offences after failing to appear before the law-enforcement agencies to answer charges of theft.
The red notice for the three comes barely weeks after four Zambians were placed on Interpol’s wanted list after jumping bail when they faced various criminal offences in Botswana.
The portraits of the four were appearing on the Interpol website for prosecution and possible sentencing after jumping bail in Botswana following their arrest for smuggling elephant ivory.
According to Interpol, the quartet – Ben Simasiku, 30, Yvonne Minganja, 25, and 21-year-old Sandra Simasiku as well as Katowa Mary Mwendalubi, 35, – is wanted by the court in Botswana after being found with government trophy.
Simasiku, who was found with 17 cut pieces of elephant tusks has, however, been removed from