MUTOTWE KAFWAYA CONFIRMED DEAD AFTER KABULONGA OPERATION
IN STATEMENT – GOVERNMENT ADMITS KAFWAYA AS MAN KILLED IN KABULONGA SECURITY OPERATION
The Central Joint Operations Committee (CJOC) has confirmed that the man killed during a joint security operation in Lusaka’s Kabulonga area has been identified as Mutotwe Kafwaya.
Inspector General of Police Graphel Musamba says Kafwaya was fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire at a named residence around 19:30 hours on August 14, 2026.
In a statement issued on behalf of CJOC and the Service Chiefs, Mr Musamba said the operation was conducted by a joint task force that included the Drug Enforcement Commission and followed intelligence allegedly obtained after the recovery of K7.3 million during an earlier operation in Lusaka.
He said defence and security agencies had been monitoring the activities of individuals suspected of posing a threat to national security since November 2023.
According to Mr Musamba, officers were met with gunfire and resistance from unidentified individuals upon arriving at the residence, prompting them to return fire. He said one man was wounded and a firearm recovered before the victim was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Mr Musamba said security agencies later contacted Kafwaya’s family following social media reports about his disappearance, and relatives subsequently identified the body.
He disclosed that 11 people were apprehended at the premises and remain in custody in connection with alleged offences relating to treason and any other offences that may emerge from the investigations.
Among those detained are three former commandos allegedly trained in sniping, marksmanship, weapon handling, intelligence gathering and other specialised military tactics. Two retired police officers, one of whom reportedly served in the Flying Squad, were also among those apprehended.
Mr Musamba named the suspects as Brazil Soko, 56; Jackson Mutyoka, 41; Bernard Chewe, 41; Simon Phiri, 43; Richard Banda, 49; George Kangwa Chisanga, 59; Trevor Mwamba, 68; Francis Mulenga, 26; Emmanuel Mulenga, 56; Patrick Mwansa, 39; and Darius Mwila, 57.
He said the task force recovered what authorities described as restricted military-grade automatic Uzi weapons, five AK-47 rifles with 60 rounds of ammunition, a Zastava pistol, four Beretta magazines, a bulletproof vest and a commando dagger.
Other items reportedly seized include military-grade night-vision binoculars, tactical gloves, two Taser-type devices, three walkie-talkies, a digital video recorder and several electronic and ICT devices.
Mr Musamba said the recovered weapons, ammunition, documents and electronic devices are undergoing forensic examination to establish their ownership, source, intended use and possible connection to the alleged offences.
He assured the public that the suspects would be accorded their constitutional and legal rights, adding that anyone found not to be connected to the alleged offences would be released.
Mr Musamba also denied that the operation was intended to target individuals based on their political affiliation, occupation or status, and urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid circulating unverified information as investigations continue.