32 nabbed in Mansa

THIRTY-TWO residents of Mansa’s Senama area in Mansa have been arrested for rioting following a road traffic accident in which Chief Chisunka killed a man.
The residents alleged that the tongue, heart and other parts on the body of the deceased were missing, an allegation the police denied.
Luapula Province commissioner of police Malcolm Mulenga said the 32, who include a woman, were arrested around 10:30 hours on Monday.
Mr Mulenga said the 32 were among several others who rioted by throwing stones and setting fire on the roads.
“On Saturday around 01:30 hours along Mansa-Mwense road at Kaole Guest House, there was a fatal accident caused by Chief Chisunka, who hit into Isaac Musonda,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said the family collected the body for burial from the hospital on Monday but when they reached the grave yard, some people raised false alarm about missing body parts and decided to surrender the body to police so that the chief could bury it.
He said the residents went to the main road while carrying the coffin towards the central business district enroute to the police station.
“Police were alert and blocked them from proceeding by throwing teargas, which made them throw the coffin and scatter into different directions.
Then they re-organised and started throwing stones onto passing vehicles and set fire on the road,” Mr Mulenga said yesterday.
He said the 32 have been charged with riotous behaviour and will appear in court soon.
Mr Mulenga said the situation has returned to normal and the family of the deceased buried the body yesterday.
“Relatives who were present during postmortem also confirmed that the body parts were present but it’s just some unruly members of the public who wanted to cause commotion,” he said.

Zambia Daily Mail