ZAMBIA POLICE DENY POCKETING K5,000 IN MATERO RAID
The FOX Newspaper
LUSAKA – In the early hours of April 6, the Matero Police swooped in on suspected criminals like hawks at a chicken farm—fast, focused, and feather-ruffling. But as the dust settled, social media exploded with a more dramatic plot twist than a telenovela: the cops allegedly became the crooks!
According to Facebook and a few WhatsApp aunties, officers didn’t just collect stolen property—they allegedly made off with a cool K5,000 in the process. That’s right, “from arrest to cash-in-transit,” some netizens joked, prompting many to wonder whether the police were fighting crime or auditioning for it.
But the Zambia Police Service, not known for taking jokes lightly, was quick to clap back. In a stern-faced press release that practically frowned through the paper, police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said, “False. Misleading. Tarnishing our image. Period.” In short: “We’re law enforcement, not law withdrawal agents.”
According to the official statement, the operation was laser-focused on apprehending four men suspected of aggravated robberies in Matero’s Desai area. Three suspects—Kunda Chitafingwa (19), Robert Chongo (21), and Phillimon Banda (20)—were nabbed in their homes. A fourth suspect, known only as “Mike,” pulled a Houdini and vanished into the shadows, now topping the “Who’s Got the Nerve?” leaderboard in the neighborhood.
Items recovered included five decoders (DSTV’s worst nightmare), a 32-inch plasma TV, ten pairs of brand-new shoes (likely size 8-11, criminal standard), and two working suits labeled “Trade Kings” and “Tobacco Zambia”—which might double as the official wardrobe of the Matero Underground Syndicate.
But despite the police’s efficient round-up, public attention has zeroed in on that elusive K5,000. “Did it exist? Was it planted? Was it ghost money? Or just social media mischief at its finest?” These are the burning questions doing laps on Facebook and TikTok.
Meanwhile, the police are urging residents to help identify the recovered property—especially if you’re missing your decoder and your Nikes.