By Chinoyi Chipulu
Two illegal miners have died after a rock fell on them at the Luanshya Dump Pit of China Luanshya Mine (CLM), while another one is nursing injuries.
The incident happened on Monday around 18:30 hours as they were conducting illegal mining activities.
Copperbelt Police Commissioner Peacewell Mweemba named the deceased as Kebby Chimbishi,aged between 30 and 35, and Ashel Kamposa, 24 and the survivor Baston Mukanga 24, all from Ngabwe district .
Mweemba said the scene of the accident was about 15 meters deep with unsecured walls.
He said the trio were working when part of the rock collapsed, burying Chimbishi and Kamposa.
“Police made a follow up to the scene of the accident and discovered that two male bodies were buried alive after part of the earth collapsed on them,” he said.
He said the bodies were retrieved by fellow illegal miners and handed over to the Police.
“The survivor is related to the deceased and has identified the two bodies. He is the nephew to Chimbishi and cousin to Kamposa both deceased. The three entered the Pit on September 16, around 14:00 hours.
Whilst working, around 18:30 hours, part of the rock collapsed and buried the deceased alive and the survivor was buried half way up to the waist causing him to sustain a painful, headache, Left leg and shoulder,” he said.
Mweemba said the bodies had been deposited to Thompson District Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem whilst the survivor had been treated and discharged.
And a- 21-year-old Copperbelt University second year student has been murdered after being attacked by unknown people, who went away with his mobile phone.
Mweemba said the incident happened on September, 14, 2024 around 22:30 hours when the victim was coming from the campus heading to Chipata Compound where his boarding house is located.
“Mulenga Musonda reported through a phone call that his Nephew Kafula Musonda, a second year student at Copperbelt University in the school of Mathematics and Natural sciences also of unknown house number, Mufurila, was attacked by unknown persons who went away with his cell phone. The victim sustained two deep cuts on the head and unknown instrument was said to have been used in the act,” Mweemba said.
“Brief facts are that, on September 14 at 22:30, the victim was coming from the campus to Chipata Compound Kitwe where his boarding house is and before he could pass through the campus small gate he was attacked by unknown persons who went away with his phone,” he said.
Mweemba said after the attack, the deceased managed to reach the community Police Post in Chipata Compound about 600 meters from the gate where he was rushed to Kitwe Teaching Hospital as he was unconscious.
“Unfortunately, he died on Monday on September 16 and the body has been deposited in the mortuary awaiting post mortem and burial. A docket has been opened and investigations instituted in the matter,” said Mweemba.
