By Isaac Zulu
Police have confirmed the disappearance of a truck carrying Copper worth K4.7 million, which vanished along the Kapiri Mposhi-Ndola Highway.
The truck was carrying 26 tonnes of copper cathodes which belong to CMTC Group of Companies Limited of Tanzania and was enroute from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Tanzania via Zambia when
it went missing.
CMTC Group of Companies representative in Zambia, Golden Phiri confirmed the incident, saying the Scania truck and trailer registration number T671 DRK and T619 DRC, respectively; went missing along with the driver around midnight on 22 October, 2023 around Kafulafuta area.
Phiri has identified the driver of the truck as Michael Msika, 36 a Tanzanian national.
Phiri said the truck was last located at Kafulafuta Toll gate along the Kapiri Mposhi-Ndola road before its GPS tracker went off.
“We can’t trace the driver and the truck carrying copper worth USD 216,453 equivalent to about K 4,7 million. The truck became off ladder on 22 October at Kafulafuta Toll gate,” Phiri said.
He has since appealed to members of the public with information potentially leading to the recovery of the missing copper and truck to contact the nearest police.
And Central Province Commissioner of Police, Roy Kashimba confirmed the development, adding that a docket has been opened in the matter.
Kashimba said the owners of the copper, CMTC Group of Companies, only reported the incident over the weekend, four days after the copper went missing.
“We only received the report on Saturday so we are trying to establish whether the truck crossed any of the Toll gates but as of now investigations have been launched to locate where this truck and copper is,” Kashimba said.
He added that both the driver and the lory boy have been unreachable by phone.
And when asked how far the Police have gone with their investigations, Kapiri Mposhi Zambia Police Officer Commanding Kabamba Mwenda said that Police have not made any headway on the matter; as all the alleged accomplices in the matter are still on the run.
“Our officers are on the ground and a manhunt has been instituted. The Zambia Police is working round the clock and we have intensified investigations, but we cannot say much before investigations are concluded. As for now, no arrests have been made,” said Mwenda.
