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Former Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner, Mwala Yuyi, an independent parliamentary candidate, a magistrate, two police officers and a court clerk have been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged theft of copper cathodes valued at about US$448,596, Zambia Police said on Thursday.
Police spokesperson, Godfrey Chilabi, said the six suspects face various charges, including theft by public servant, giving false information to a public officer and receiving property suspected to have been stolen.
The charges stem from investigations into the alleged theft of 436 copper cathodes recovered in the Mokambo area of Mufulira District between March 6 and March 9, 2026.
Yuyi, the former Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer, has been charged with one count of theft by public servant.
Police officers, Patrick Muti and Boniface Nchimunya, Mufulira Magistrate, Edward Banda and Clerk of Court Obrian Chipunza, have each been jointly charged with one count of theft by public servant and one count of giving false information to a public officer.
Businessman Makina, an independent parliamentary candidate for Chimwemwe Constituency, has been charged with one count of receiving property suspected to have been stolen and one count of giving false information to a public officer.
“It is alleged that the copper was being transported from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa when the truck carrying the consignment was diverted into Zambia,” Chilabi said.
He said the consignment was later recovered by police in the Mokambo area of Mufulira District.
Investigations established that after the copper was placed in police custody, it was allegedly released to a private individual through a fraudulent disposal process.
Police further allege that the copper was subsequently auctioned despite the lawful owner of the consignment having already been identified.
Chilabi said all six suspects have been formally charged and remain in police custody pending their appearance in court.
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