A TAXI driver has been killed while another one is battling for his life at Solwezi General Hospital after a mob descended on them on suspicion of being involved in ritual killings. North-Western Province Commissioner of Police Hudson Namachila confirmed the incident, which happened in the early hours of yesterday between 02:00 hours and 06:00 hours in Kabisapi area in Mushindamo District. He named the victims as Isaac Kitomombo, 34, of Kazomba area behind Kazomba Police Post in Solwezi, and James Wingi, also known as Blackie, 29, of Zambia Compound in Solwezi, who were beaten on suspicion that they were ritual killers.

He said Kitomombo died upon arrival at Solwezi General Hospital. Mr Namachila said the mob set ablaze a Toyota Corolla registration number ALJ 2153 the two victims were using, reducing it to ashes. He said the body of the deceased is at Solwezi General Hospital while the other victim is admitted to the same hospital with multiple injuries.

Mr Namachila has urged members of the public in the province to desist from taking the law into their own hands each time they arrest suspects in connection with suspected ritual killings and gassing of homes to avoid loss of innocent lives. “I strongly urge all members of the general public to restrain themselves and not take the law into their own hands because this will lead to death of innocent people as the case is in Kabisapi,” he said. He urged the members of the public to surrender any suspects they apprehend to the police for the law enforcement officers to investigate cases thoroughly.

“Leave police work to the police, your duty as citizens of this country is to report and hand over suspects to the police,” Mr Namachila said. On Friday, residents of Manyama in Kalumbila district ran amok and burnt down a local police post at Kakaindu after word went round that police were holding two suspects involved in the gassing of homes in the area.

Recently, about nine families in Kalumbila District had their homes sprayed with chemicals at night by unknown people and 32 people were affected and were rushed to Lumwana District Hospital and Lumwana East Rural Health Centre, where they were treated and discharged.