NAKONDE SUSPECTED THIEF TORCHED

By PETER SICHALI A MAN sustained serious burns after being torched for allegedly attempting to steal from parked trucks in Nakonde, Muchinga Province Commissioner of Police Lizzy Machina has said. Ms Machina said the incident occurred on Tuesday around 02:00 hours on Malawi Road in the Tanzania Market in Katozi Village of Chieftainess Waitwika’s area. Ms Machina said a resident reported that an unidentified man believed to be a Zambian was set on fire by unidentified ersons on suspicion that he was a criminal. She said a mob descended on him, beat him up and later burnt him with a tyre after he allegedly attempted to steal from parked trucks on the buffer zone. Ms Machina said the victim sustained severe burns.  “Brief facts are that a Phone was received from a concerned member of the public to the effect that an unidentified male person believed to be a Zambian was burnt by unknown  persons at Katozi Village,” Ms Machina said Police rushed to the scene after someone phoned them and found an unidentified man lying on the ground outside the shops in the Tanzanian Market near Katozi Village. “After interviewing the victim, he identified himself as Jacob. He was severely burnt using a motor vehicle tyre which was put on his body,” she said. Ms Machina said the victim sustained severe burns and was taken to Nakonde Urban Clinic where he is being treated.