By LusakaTimes

The Police in Southern Province are looking for a group of people who are going round the Province masquerading as suppliers of goods and ending up extorting money from unsuspecting traders.

The Police manhunt comes amid an increasing number of complaints about these con artists.

Police Regional Commander, Lemmy Kajoba disclosed this in an interview.Mr. Kajoba said the fraudsters, who are mostly found hanging around Wholesale Stores use various tricks to extort money from the traders who intend to order goods from the wholesales.

He said most people are tricked into believing that these villains are employees of the wholesale Stores who merely want to do the buyer a favor
by supplying the goods at a cheaper price than the wholesale price.

One resident narrated his ordeal to Lusakatimes.The resident- Mr Munsaka who is a businessman from Maramba said about K800,000 was stolen from him by the con artists.

Mr.Munsaka said he met the swindler around Zambia National Sugar Depot where he normally buys Sugar in bulk for resale.

He said the swindler who only identified himself as Pastor Chomba asked Munsaka if he is intereted in making a quick deal which would enable him to buy sugar at a cheaper price.

Mr.Munsaka said yes and he was told to put his money in a brown envelop and later wait for the ‘supplier’ to go and get the sugar for him inside the wholesale store.

He waited for a very long time but the man was nowhere to be seen.When he dared to look around for this ‘Pastor Chomba’ somebody told him he was long gone.

When he tried to probe further he was told that the swindler was actually just a passerby whom no one at the company knew.

Mr.Munsaka warned his fellow traders to beware of these con artists.

27 COMMENTS

nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 11:29 am

omg pastor chomba ni ba uncle!!! iye! napapa sana
nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 11:32 am

police man needs to be put on a robust heavy diet of beans! :o
Umungulu February 1, 2011 At 11:43 am

This happens more often in Zambia. nothing new…
matuka Mwansa February 1, 2011 At 11:47 am

Traders dont u know that cheap is expensive,bagon’ga bantu.Bamikatisha panshi ukupwalala someone telling you that he can supply u with cheap goods from the same shop,,honestly u kudnt think twice whether those were genuine or fake(stolen) goods,Mr Munsaka wake up.utulo bakamba
kilncha February 1, 2011 At 12:01 pm

:((
nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 12:05 pm

blogger
Moderator February 1, 2011 At 12:06 pm

This has been going on for so many years now. Like one post above said, nothing new here. Kushishita.
nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 12:10 pm

DELETED AFTER FIVE COMPLAINTS
Moderator February 1, 2011 At 12:10 pm

On a serious note, ka cop mu picture kaoneka che kanjala. These guys need to put on some meat!
Mpangula Mputyu February 1, 2011 At 12:13 pm

The police should arrest the guy conned. For abetting crime.
tk_12 February 1, 2011 At 12:24 pm

Thats what happens you get greedy. you cant con an honest person
Mbilia Bell February 1, 2011 At 12:29 pm

Mr Munsaka should have been probed for trying to buy things through “The back door” Serves you right!
Shimaini February 1, 2011 At 12:30 pm

Ba Tonga kupwalala
bameme February 1, 2011 At 12:48 pm

BADALA DONT PLAY WITH ZIMANDOLA TOO MUCH AKA RED NA BLACK WAKEUP.TONGAS WEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE UP.
nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 1:10 pm

DELETED AFTER FIVE COMPLAINTS
nyele mukamwa February 1, 2011 At 1:12 pm

DELETED AFTER FIVE COMPLAINTS
sith lord February 1, 2011 At 3:25 pm

Iwe# 1,2,6,8,15,16 so called Nyele mukamwa are u normal? Nobody wants to know wat u r doing or whether ur galfriend is white, black, green, yellow etc. Get a life dude.Discusss serious issues on this blog.
Kwa Mutonyo February 1, 2011 At 3:28 pm

Those swindled are just dull. How can someone tell you to put money in a brown envelope and you accept
Ras Rated February 1, 2011 At 3:34 pm

Number 13 an 14: You must be sluts.
Mbayumu February 1, 2011 At 4:28 pm

Chu! Bandibida
Muleya February 1, 2011 At 4:30 pm

Desperate times call for desperate measures….
VJ Rigger February 1, 2011 At 5:16 pm

LT what happened to free speech.Dont gag me mate.
namegazet February 1, 2011 At 5:47 pm

# 13 & 14 go back to yr mother & revise gud manners.u ar a bunch of sh”t.
phiri wa phiri February 1, 2011 At 6:06 pm

always aim at spending genuinely so as to think clearly and make genuine profits.The indians put it plainly that,’easier come,easier go’.
Crazyhorse February 1, 2011 At 6:58 pm

Thats an old trick in Zed, the other scum is using broken green glass to sell as emeralds.
jackal February 1, 2011 At 8:53 pm

13 and 14..muli babwa..kinjaa!!imbwa..don’t insult a tribe based on your mediocrity..that tribe which steals is very dull and lacks morals..i won’t mention it here but w all know..!
Sebanawikute February 2, 2011 At 1:53 am

Guy why getting all heated up for once this con man could be a Tonga/Lozi/Tumbuka who has lived on the Copperbelt or Lusaka.Honestly at this day and age why would some one fall for such a ploy?This reminds me of the olden days when people would go shopping around the area where Society house was in Cairo road a simillar ploy was carried out on un suspecting victims.