By MILDRED KATONGO –
A MAN of Ndola’s Chipulukusu Township has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a Ndola City Council (NCC) employee and allocating land illegally.
NCC public relations manager Roy Kuseka confirmed that James Besa was apprehended after he was allegedly found illegally demarcating and allocating land which was not gazetted in Dola Hill.
Mr Kuseka said the suspect was apprehended by the council police after alert members of the public reported him to the local authority.
He said the man was found with forged offer letters bearing the Town Clerks’ signature and a number of gadgets that council surveyors used when allocating land.
“I can confirm that James Besa has been arrested for impersonating and illegally demarcating and allocating land to members of the public. He was found demarcating and allocating land not legalised,” he said.
Mr Kuseka said the place where the suspect was found demarcating and allocating was a 50 meters land away from the rail line in the area.
He said the local authority had since confiscated the forged documents and other gadgets he was using and have since handed them over to the police.
Mr Kuseka said the suspect was found with a number of National Registration Cards (NRCs) belonging to people believed to have been swindled.
He said people should be aware and follow the right procedures when acquiring land.
Mr Kuseka said once the land was available, the local authority advertised and called for applications to allow people acquire land in a transparent manner.
He urged members of the public to desist from acquiring land from individuals who were impersonating as council officials.
Mr Kuseka commended members of the public for being alert and urged them to continue reporting unscrupulous people dealing in land allocation.