LUSAKA BUSINESSMAN LOSES K100,000 TO NAKONDE SCAMMERS, POLICE RECOVER K90,000
A Lusaka-based businessman, Peter Musonda, has lost K100,000 to four suspects who posed as timber sellers and a money changers in a cross-border scam.
According to Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Dennis Moola, the incident occurred on July 3, 2025.
Musonda, 48, from Garden Compound in Lusaka, arrived in Nakonde on July 2, 2025, at around 17:30 hours, intending to purchase timber for his business.
Upon reaching the Nakonde bus station, he was welcomed by Patrick James Siwale, who introduced himself as a timber seller.
Siwale introduced Musonda to Thomas Muchemwa, and they offered to assist him in finding cheap timber.
Mr Musonda spent the night at a guest house in Tanzania, where he had been taken by Siwale and Muchemwa.
The following day, July 3, 2025, Siwale called Musonda to meet him at the Zambian customs area. When Musonda arrived, he found Siwale with Muchemwa and Lewis Siyanda.
They offered to take Musonda to buy timber, but first, they convinced him to exchange his K100,000 for Tanzanian shillings.
Siwale took Musonda to Ben Paulo, a money changer, where the exchange was made.
He was given 1,000,000 Tanzanian shillings, which he later discovered was equivalent to only K10,000.
After the exchange, the suspects started taking Musonda to timber sellers, but they disappeared one by one, leaving him to realize he had been scammed.
Musonda reported the incident to the Chiyanga police post, where he spotted Patrick James Siwale and alerted the authorities.
The police apprehended Siwale, and with his confession, they tracked down the other suspects in Tanzania.
With the help of Tanzanian police, they recovered K90,000 from Ben Paulo.
Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Dennis Moola commended the swift action by the police and their collaboration with Tanzanian authorities, which led to the recovery of most of the stolen money.
He said that the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in court soon as investigations continue.