Police Arrest Chinese Nationals For Attempted Hit-Job

Police in Chingola have arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly hiring three men to assassinate the owner of Lian-an Mining Limited at his place of work.

Zhang Lian-an, a fellow Chinese national, was shot three times at around 08:30 on Saturday 2nd March. Fortunately, he survived his injuries. Police subsequently arrested three men thought to have carried out the attack: South Africans Mawande Lungelo Qnoqnoza and Lucky Singate, as well as Henry Kwotek from Uganda.

The men said they had been hired by Chinese nationals Cheng Moyn and Zhuang Pingzhen and that Mr Cheng had brought them from South Africa to Zambia to carry out the hit. He also supplied them with two firearms, one of which had its serial number erased and was used in the assassination attempt. Police say they were paid K200,000 for the job. 

Witnesses later identified the men and recognised Singate as the one who shot the victim. All five have been charged with attempted murder, while Kwoteck has been additionally charged with possession of a prohibited article and making a false document.

Police said the suspects remain in custody and will appear in court soon. The suspects are also believed to have been involved in a string of aggravated robberies involving Chinese nationals.

“Zambia police wishes to warn foreign nationals coming into the country with a sole purpose of coming to commit crimes that Zambia is not such a destination where they can come and commit crime and expect to flee,” spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said.