‘CASINO MACHINES ATTRACT CRIMINALS IN MATERO, LILANDA’

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Police gun robber
Police gun robber

SOME residents in Lusaka have attributed increased attacks on guards in markets to casino machines that are said to be attracting criminals.
Residents of Matero and Lilanda townships said the continued mounting of casino machines in most markets was tempting criminals who eye for the coins left in those machines.
Prisca Chilekwa said the Casino machines commonly known as Bonaza machines installed in Lilanda market were the main reason thieves broke in the market last week killing two security guards.
She said that casinos have not only attracted criminals, but that school children absconded classes in preference for casinos.
Another resident Mwila Kalonga wondered whether it was legal to install casino machines in markets, saying such machines were better placed in designated areas which were well monitored by Lusaka City Council (LCC).
“How can they put casinos in markets, I am sure people operating those machines are doing it illegally, because I doubt if the council can allow casinos machines in markets,” he said.
And Kaluba Mwanza called on LCC to resolve the problem as soon as possible before more lives were lost.
“The future of our children is at stake because they refuse to go to school and spend most of their time in those casinos,” he said.
But LCC deputy spokesperson Brenda Katongola said the council does not allow casinos to be operated in markets.
She, however, said it was difficult for LCC to do anything about the casinos in Lilanda market because markets were operated by the community themselves.

 

Times of Zambia

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