KAFUE POLICE NAB THREE FRAUDSTERS POSING AS CAR DEALERS
The Kafue police have nabbed three fraudsters who have been duping unsuspecting members of the public by pretending to sell vehicles at cheap prices.
The suspects were identified as Arnold Mwanza, 49, Davis Banda, 53, and Harrison Lupinda, 52, all of Lusaka. They were arrested on November 20, 2023 in Kafue district after they tried to swindle another victim of a Toyota Mark X with a fake registration number.
The police spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, said the suspects were linked to a series of similar cases in which they lured people to buy cars that did not exist. He said one of the victims, Purity Nyungwe, 37, of Mukuni village in Livingstone, reported that the suspects stole her money amounting to K81,000 on the pretext that they were selling a Toyota Noah vehicle.
The incident occurred on October 13, 2023 around 13:00 hours at Kafue River Mall. Nyungwe said she met the suspects through an online advertisement and agreed to meet them at the mall to finalize the deal. She said the suspects showed her a fake receipt and a fake logbook and asked her to pay the money in cash. She said she handed over the money to the suspects, who then told her to wait for the car to be delivered. However, the suspects never returned and switched off their phones.
Hamoonga said the police tracked down the suspects using the information provided by Nyungwe and other victims. He said the police found the suspects in possession of a Toyota Mark X with a fake registration number BCZ 5000, while the original number plate was BCF 5050. He said the police also seized two fake logbooks, a fake receipt, and a fake identity card from the suspects.
Hamoonga said the suspects are currently in police custody and will appear in court soon. He said the police have more than five dockets connected to the same suspects.