Six people, including Zambia‘s immediate past Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer and a Mufulira magistrate, have been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged theft of copper cathodes valued at US$448,596.
According to Police Spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi, the arrests followed investigations into the alleged theft of 436 copper cathodes recovered in the Mokambo area of Mufulira District between March 6 and March 9, 2026.
Former Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Yuyi Mwala has been charged with one count of Theft by Public Servant.
Also arrested are police officers Patrick Muti and Boniface Nchimunya, Clerk of Court Obrian Chipunza, and Magistrate Edward Banda. Each has been charged with one count of Theft by Public Servant and one count of Giving False Information to a Public Officer.
Businessman Daniel Makina has been charged with Receiving Property Suspected to Have Been Stolen and Giving False Information to a Public Officer.
Police allege that the copper cathodes were being transported from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa when the truck carrying the consignment was diverted into Zambia. The consignment was later recovered by police in Mokambo.
Investigations further revealed that after the recovered copper was placed in police custody, it was allegedly released to a private individual through a fraudulent disposal process.
Police also allege that the copper was later auctioned despite the rightful owner of the consignment having already been identified.
All six suspects remain in police custody and are expected to appear before court, where the allegations against them will be determined.
