Charges of spying against five Egyptians and one Zambian who were arrested after a suspicious plane landed in Lusaka with cash, fake gold, and weapons have been removed. They could have been sent to prison for up to 30 years if found guilty.
However, two of the Egyptians are being arrested again for smaller crimes and will be allowed to pay money for their release, according to a statement from Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission.
Five Zambians who were also held at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport two weeks ago have not been let go. They will have to face a trial in the High Court for being accused of spying.
The authorities found about $5. 7 million in cash, some guns, 126 bullets, and what appeared to be 127 kilograms of gold bars on the private jet. The bars were made of a mix of gold, copper, nickel, tin, and zinc.
This is not a good time to talk about anything. One of the Egyptians who was freed said to reporters outside the court that we knew from the beginning that we are innocent. They then got on a bus.
The state prosecutors did not explain why they decided to dismiss the charges. They decided to stop prosecuting the case, but they have the choice to start again if they get more evidence.
Tag: Zambian
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Egyptians in Zambian gold fraud case freed
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Zambian killed in Ukraine ‘was fighting with Wagner’
A Zambian student who died in Ukraine early this month had been fighting for the shadowy Russian mercenary group Wagner, the Reuters news agency quotes Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin as saying.
“Yes, I remember this guy well,” Mr Prigozhin, who is head of the Wagner group, is quoted as saying in a written response to a question from a reporter.
Zambia had asked Moscow “to urgently provide information on the circumstances” surrounding Lemekhani Nyirenda’s death.
The 23-year-old, a student at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, had been serving nine years in jail for a drug offence.
The circumstances of his release from prison are unknown, but Russia has offered freedom to some prisoners in exchange for fighting in its war in Ukraine.
Mr Prigozhin is quoted as saying that Nyirenda had died a “hero” and that he was “one of the first to break into the enemy trenches on 22 September”.
Source: BBC
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Ukraine: Wagner group acknowledges the death of a Zambian recruited in prison
The Russian paramilitary group Wagner acknowledged Tuesday that a Zambian student recruited in prison was killed in Ukraine, two weeks after Zambia demanded an explanation from Russia on the circumstances of the death of one of its citizens.
“Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda, on September 22, was one of the first to enter the enemy trenches, showing courage and bravery,” greeted on his company’s social networks the head of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Oligarch reputedly close to Vladimir Putinand became a media personality of the conflict in Ukraine, Mr. Prigozhin said he “well remembered this guy” of 23 years, “died as a hero” in combat.
For several weeks, Yevgeny Prigozhin was accused by Ukraine of sending to the front thousands of fighters recruited directly in Russian prisons, against the promise of a salary and an amnesty.
Mr. Prigozhin admitted on Tuesday that his group had recruited Mr. Nyirenda, convicted in Russia, in a prison in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow.
He said the young Zambian had volunteered to join Wagner and fight in Ukraine.
Zambia had asked Moscow in mid-November for an explanation for the death of one of its nationals in Ukraine, where Russia has been conducting a military offensive since February.
According to the Zambian government, Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda was initially a student of nuclear engineering at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI).
He had been sentenced to nine years and six months in prison after being convicted of violating Russian law in April 2020, according to the same source.
Source: African News
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Zambian wildlife ranger receives award for his anti poaching work
Patrolling the vast Kafue National Park in Zambia, these rangers are always on alert. Their team leader is Neddy Mulimo. He works for the anti-poaching unit of Game Rangers International, a non-profit wildlife conservation organisation established in Zambia in 2008.
Mulimo’s work has been recognised and he year’s recipient of a prestigious award, the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. Sponsored by the Nick Maughan Foundation and launched by Prince William in 2013, the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award gives international recognition to the men and women who face danger daily as they protect Africa’s wildlife.
“The animals we have need to be looked after and be passed on to future generations,” says Mulimo.
Mulimo first joined the Zambian government’s National Parks and Wildlife department (now called the Department of National Parks and Wildlife) back in 1985.
The country’s national parks are teeming with wildlife that also attract heavily armed poachers determined to take prized items such as elephant tusks.
Mulimo explains that educating local people about the importance of wildlife is a key part of his job :
“As you know the threat of our wildlife comes from the people who live within the community. So first thing, show them that you love them, you need to protect them, then bring in your words and encouragement on how they can help you to take care of the wildlife.”
His colleague Britius Munkombwe, a community outreach manager with Game Rangers International, agrees.
“It is very important to support communities living adjacent to other protected areas, the GMA’s (game management areas) and the National Park because they are regarded as major stakeholders in wildlife conservation. Historically, these community members that live alongside the GMA actually used to live in the GMA and they gave out (donated) that piece of land for the purpose of wildlife conservation, so its very important that we work with them and consult them on many matters to do with wildlife conservation, because they know more that what anyone can know in terms of the history of these areas and how these animals have actually been in existence.”
The danger associated with the job is amplified by findings from the Game Rangers Association of Africa Roll of Honour, which showed that more than 100 wildlife rangers were killed in the line of duty in Africa in the last year alone.
Rangers such as Mulimo often spend weeks away from their families when they are on duty.
As a leader, Mulimo says an integral part of his job is to protect the rangers he works with and to ensure that their welfare is taken care of.
“I am happy and this means the world has recognised my job that I have done for a very long time as a ranger and therefore encourage the growing (number of ) rangers doing the same job to carry on the job of resource protection. This job, it requires sacrifice, and (is) very demanding, someone should have passion, love for nature and then everything will be OK,” says Mulimo.
The Tusk Wildlife awards take place in Hampton Court Palace near London on November 1, 2022.
Source: Africa News