Over 50 AVIC International workers in Kitwe have been arrested and charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace. This was after the 58 workers protested on Kitwe-Chingola road demanding improved conditions of service. Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga confirmed the arrest of the workers in an interview yesterday.

They walked over 10 kilometres from Ganerton to the central business district before being intercepted by police. Mrs Katanga said police will not tolerate lawlessness among members of the public. “Police will not allow citizens to take the law into their own hands whenever they are aggrieved,” she said.

The arrested workers are in custody and will appear in court soon. Meanwhile, three witch doctors have been arrested in Lufwanyama for allegedly confiscating goods worth K27,750 from five people they suspected to be practising witchcraft. One of the victims was also administered with some traditional medicines and he was rushed to Lufwanyama District Hospital after his stomach started bulging and had severe diarrhoea.

Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga identified the suspects as Maureen Chongo, 50, Nyongo Chilufya, 50, and Boniface Mulenga, 30. Mrs Katanga said in an interview that David Kalulu suffered severe stomach pains after taking the traditional medicine. She said other complainants are Joseph Zuze, 42, Christine Mubanga, 40, Fordson Mayali, 53, and Prisca Mwape, 43.

The three witch doctors will appear in court today. The confiscated items include household goods, goats, chickens, cattle, pigs and gardens. And district commissioner Miniver Mutesa said there is need to curb the increasing cases of witch-hunting in Lufwanyama. Dr Mutesa said some witch finders are even confiscating gardens from people.