13 young women ranging in age from 17 to 28 years, were rescued yesterday after months of being held in captivity in Lusaka’s Chalala area. Among them was Pamela Chisumpa the 22-year-old Mobile Money Booth operator who had been kidnapped about 6-months ago along Cairo road.
One of the young women, Agness Kapwaya a first year nursing student who had been kidnapped 3 weeks ago risked her life by scaling the wall fence and running to the neighbors house for help. She took the opportunity to escape after one of the abductors left the bedroom door unlocked.
A young man at the neighboring house heard the cries for help and with the assistance of other neighbours armed themselves with an axe went to the kidnappers house.There,they were shocked to find several traumatised young women, one of whom was pregnant. They recused the women out of the house and called for the police.
The house was sparsely furnished distinctly visible was a coffin, shrine, charms, pads and condoms scattered everywhere.One of the neighbours recounted how he had frequently seen one of the abductors buying condoms and pads and wondered why a man would be buying so many pads.
The neighbours were visibly shocked that such atrocious criminal activity had been happening in their area.Others claim the occupant of that house has only been there for a month, which suggests that Pamela Chisumpa and the other girls were being moved from one house to another.
Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba who led a team of police officers to the crime scene said all the victims had been taken to a medical facility to receive medical attention. He added that they managed to apprehend one suspect who has been detained in police custody to help police with investigation.
In a statement yesterday 3rd October 2022 , the Inspector General of Police said it was with a sense of relief that he was informing the nation that the Police managed to safely rescue Pamela Chisumpa together with thirteen other ladies that were held captive in a house in Chalala area of Lusaka.
The following are the names of the other twelve female victims:
1. A female Juvenile aged 17
2. Grace Siabeula aged 22
3. Felistus Hachintu aged 18
4. Ruth Banda aged 21
5. Nalukui Macwani aged 21
6. Agness Kapwaya aged 21
7. Docus Chungwe aged 24
8. Priscila Mapulanga aged 23
9. Honester Lungu aged 25
10. Rosemary Chibwe 25
11. Faith Muluti aged 28
12. Paxina Chanda aged 22
This rescue was after a long protracted investigation that the Police have continuously pursued since April this year when Pamela was abducted along Cairo road in Lusaka.He told the general public to be calm as the police are waiting for the victims to recuperate so that they would further their investigation and a comprehensive statement will be issued in due course.
Unconfirmed reports state that the 2 other abductors that had been on the ran- Mathews Sikaonga and James Bwlaya were arrested in Kaoma in the last few hours.