By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
A TEACHER of Lufwanyama District on the Copperbelt has been arrested alongside four others in connection with theft of computers at a primary school in the area.
The teacher was arrested after he allegedly masterminded the theft of three HP computers, a laptop and printer at Kapilimikwa Primary School in Lufwanyama where he is a member of staff.
Copperbel Police chief Charity Katanga confirmed this in an interview yesterday.
Ms Katanga named the teacher as Lewis Mwika, 34, of Kapilimikwa Teachers Compound who was apprehended together with Davies Kanguya, 52, a driver who resides in Kitwe, Alex Kabinka, 22, a driver for a named security company, Musonda Mambwe, 26 from Mufulira’a Kamuchanga area and Isaac Musonda, also from Mufulira.
She said the suspects were apprehended over the weekend in connection with theft of computers at Kapilimikwa Primary School, which happened last week on Thursday where the teacher was allegedly the mastermind.
Ms Katanga said the teacher had a spare key to the room where the computers were being stored and apparently, he allegedly organised the theft and faked a breaking-in.
She said after the matter was reported to the police, investigations were instituted which led to the arrest of the teacher and four of his accomplices who are all in detention at Lufwanyama Police Station waiting to appear in court soon.
Ms Katanga expressed disappointment with the involvement of teachers in cases of theft of computers in schools and appealed to relevant education authorities such as the provincial education officer and district education board secretaries (DEBS) to put in place adequate security measures to help curb such incidences.
She said it was regrettable that teachers who were expected to be helping with the protection of Government property were the ones in the forefront of stealing computers.