Central Province police bust fake bank robbery
POLICE in Kapiri Mposhi district have arrested three men in connection with the staged aggravated robbery of K 1, 368,220 from a First National Bank (FNB) Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
Police have also recovered a total of K 625, 500 from the suspects, money they stole on Friday April 15, 2022 between 08:55 hours and 10:30 hours in an evidently inside-job operation involving FNB ATM safe custodians at Total Filling Station in Kapiri Mposhi.
ZANIS reports that the arrested includes two FNB ATM security personnel identified as Kingsley Daka, 30, Future Mwenya, 38, and Richard Cassie Mwewa, 46, a Kapiri Mposhi businessman who allegedly connived to stage the robbery
Central Province police commanding officer, Donald Mwandila, has confirmed.
The police chief said Billson Shamatanga, a security guard at FNB ATM, reported that the two FNB ATM custodians at Total Filling Station had been attacked and robbed of the money by two unknown armed men with an unknown firearm while on duty at the said ATM.
According to the report, the suspected armed robbers entered the ATM booth and tied-up the duo with a rope and sealed their mouths with duct tape before stealing the money.
However, after police interrogation, it was learnt that the duo conspired with three others to fake an armed robbery of the money
Mr Mwandila said investigations firstly led to the recovery of K 180, 000 cash from one of the suspects, Kingsley Daka, which he had buried in his backyard.
Daka later revealed names of other suspects involved in the matter, leading to subsequent recovery of more money amounting to K 625, 500.
The suspects further revealed that the theft occurred on April 14, 2022 and not April 15, 2022, as reported.
Police have since launched a manhunt for two other suspects who are on the run with the rest of the loot
“We have arrested three suspects whom we have interviewed and managed to recover K 625, 500,” said Mwandila.
“The suspects worked with others whom they met a day before the faked robbery. We have launched a manhunt.”
CAPTION: File photo for illustration
Kalemba