Former Copperbelt police boss, magistrate discover copper has a way of arresting people too
In what could easily qualify as Zambia’s most expensive game of “finders, keepers,” six people, including a former Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer and a serving magistrate, have found themselves on the wrong side of the law over the alleged disappearance of copper cathodes worth a cool US$448,596. It turns out that while copper is famous for conducting electricity, it also has an uncanny ability to conduct criminal investigations straight back to those who were supposed to be guarding it.
Lusaka, 30 July – Police say the latest cast members in this metallic drama were arrested after investigations into 436 copper cathodes recovered in Mokambo, Mufulira District, between March 6 and March 9 this year.
Leading the unexpected reunion with law enforcement is former Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Yuyi Mwala, who now gets to experience police procedures from the opposite side of the notebook. He has been charged with one count of Theft by Public Servant.
Also making the charge sheet’s guest list are police officers Patrick Muti and Boniface Nchimunya, Mufulira Clerk of Court Obrian Chipunza, and Magistrate Edward Banda. Each has been charged with Theft by Public Servant and Giving False Information to a Public Officer, proving that paperwork can indeed come back to haunt its authors.
Businessman Daniel Makina completes the lineup with charges of Receiving Property Suspected to Have Been Stolen and Giving False Information to a Public Officer, suggesting that discounted copper bargains sometimes come with rather expensive legal receipts.
According to police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi, the copper cathodes were originally travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa, presumably expecting nothing more dramatic than a border crossing. Instead, investigators allege the truck developed an unscheduled sense of adventure and wandered into Zambia, where the cargo was eventually recovered in the Mokambo area.
That, however, was apparently only the opening chapter.
Police allege that after the copper was safely placed in police custody, someone allegedly decided custody was merely a suggestion. Investigators claim the valuable cargo was released to a private individual through what they describe as a fraudulent disposal process, demonstrating a level of customer service the rightful owner probably never requested.
To add an extra layer of polish to the story, police further allege that the copper was later auctioned off despite investigators already knowing who actually owned it. Apparently, “under new management” was interpreted a little too creatively.
The six suspects remain in police custody and are expected to appear in court soon, where the scales of justice will determine whether this was a case of criminal enterprise or simply the world’s most ambitious misunderstanding involving several tonnes of copper.
For now, the only thing heavier than 436 copper cathodes may be the charge sheets.
©Nkanionline 2026