ROYAL RIP-OFF: ‘Mwata Kazembe’ dupes Masebo, BoZ governor and ZAF commander
AUTHORITIES in Lusaka have dismantled a one-man scam operation in which a 41-year old man posing as Chief Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people swindled health minister Sylvia Masebo, Bank of Zambia governor Dr Denny Kalyalya and Zambia Air Force commander Lt Gen Oscar Nyoni as well as his immediate past predecessor, Lt Gen Collin Barry.
Using a fake royal identity, Dyllan Byemba of Lusaka came up with a daring idea to fill his pockets with thousands of kwachas.
Far away, from the real deal – the majestic palace of Mwata Kazembe in Mwansabombwe district, Byemba set up shop in a humble bar in Lusaka’s Mandevu Compound and from his unlikely “throne,” concocted a list of high-profile targets to swindle.
Byemba’s modus operandi was as smooth as it was shameless – a simple phone call, introducing himself as Chief Mwata Kazembe, and then playing the sympathy card, claiming he needed assistance with food, medication, or funeral expenses for a “deceased member of the chiefdom”.
And while the real Chief Mwata Kazembe was experiencing endless headache trying to resolve the hunger situation occasioned by the historic drought that has struck Zambia, Byemba, the counterfeit traditional leader was raking in thousands of kwachas.
However, Byemba’s reign of deception came to an end when he duped the astute BoZ governor.
After sending a K7,000, Dr Kalyalya noticed something suspicious about the chief. Something didn’t add up. The “chief” didn’t quite sound like real royalty.
Dr. Kalyalya’s suspicions led him to report the incident to the Zambia Information Technology Authority (ZICTA), and that’s when Byemba’s theifdom began to crumble.
A quick investigation led to Byemba’s house in Mandevu Compound where he was arrested yesterday and discovered to have amassed over a staggering K80,000 from his criminal enterprise in July alone.
Charged with impersonation, Byemba is now enjoying police hospitality at Lusaka Central Police Station, awaiting his day in court.
Instead of a royal coronation, a court ceremony is most likely to confirm Byemba as Chief Chimbokaila.
Officers close to the matter say they are currently working to find more of Byemba’s victims.
CAPTION: Dyllan Byemba, the counterfeit traditional leader.
Credit @ Kalemba July 18, 2024
Why is that Bembas are always stealing..is it because they got possesed by a spirit of stealing after the historical theft of cattle from us easterners?