AN 18-year-old member of a notorious criminal gang known as ‘Chipandule’ has had the rare privilege of tasting the country’s rich natural resource in processed form after police officers shot him while he tried to escape their grip.
This was during an operation yesterday where four of his co-gang members where apprehended.
It reported the police officer on the chase, fired warning shots, but the teen seems to have mistaken the sound for fireworks even though the festive season was long gone.
He continued running, trying to emulate spiderman by climbing onto a rooftop, despite several police warning shots until a stay bullet accessed his body like a network to a phone.
The suspect sustained an abdominal wound and was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital where his condition is reported to be stable.
According to authorities, the incident occurred during an intelligence-driven police operation that targeted the notorious ‘Junkies’ gang conducted in Matero between Saturday 20:00hours and Sunday 05:00hours.
Police assistant spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi confirmed the incident disclosing that in addition to the unintended shooting, four other members of the Chipandule gang were successfully apprehended during the police operation.
Chilabi stated that the ‘chipandule’ gang has been terrorising the residents in Matero and other surrounding areas, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.
He identified the suspects as Joseph Banda commonly known as ‘Josalase’ aged 23, Prosper Mbewe aged 24 and two others, an unidentified juvenile aged 15 and an 18 year old male.
Chilabi also disclosed that a 47-year-old mother of two of the apprehended suspects had also been apprehended for aiding and abetting their criminal activities.
“All suspects are currently in police custody and will appear in court soon,” he said.
He added that patrols were extended to Chunga, George, Desai, Soweto, Kachele, Kizito, and Lilanda compounds, where an additional 41 suspected junkies including two females were apprehended.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba April 28, 2025
