Eight S.O.D. Members Appear In Kitwe Magistrates Court

By Paul Shalala

It was an unusual day for eight teenagers of Kitwe’s Bulangililo township.

The tears in their eyes spoke volumes.

What was sad was that most of these teenagers are pupils at Ipusukilo Secondary School.

The group is suspected to be part of the Sons Of the Devil (SOD) criminal gang which has been terrorising Kwacha, Bulangililo and Kamitondo townships.

The group, which numbers in the 30s, is suspected of being behind some killings, school break-ins, beatings and other crimes.

The eight suspects appeared in the Kitwe Magistrate's Court on Friday for aggravated robbery.

These are Alick Mvula, Elvis Chola, Gift Chiyembe, Fashio Haluna and Saviour Mumba, among others.

It is alleged that on 13th January, 2018  whilst acting together and armed with offensive weapons, the eight stole K100 each from Benny Machinko.

Earlier, the teenagers pleaded with the court to grant them bail because schools are opening on Monday.

But the court refused them bail because the charge they are facing is not bailable and can only be tried in the High Court.

Meanwhile, there was drama at the court as some parents of the accused.

This was when the teenagers were being taken to Kamfinsa Correctional Facility after the matter was adjourned.

The parents, most of whom were female, could not control their emotions as they wept uncontrollably.

The matter has been adjourned to February 2, 2018 as the court awaits  instructions from  the  office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for committal to the High Court.

This is the second time suspected members of the SOD are being arrested and taken to court.

In 2015, 16 members of the notorious gang were arrested and convicted by the Kitwe Magistrate's Court.

However, they were given suspended sentences as most of them were scheduled to write their Grade seven examinations.

Teenage Gangs S.O.D. and Tokota Boys Terrorise Kitwe

The scene at Mukuba Mall on New Year's Eve

By Paul Shalala

It was a New Year’s Eve like no other.

From a night that most had planned to be a memorable one, the night turned bloody for many unfortunate ones.

And this was all on account of two of Kitwe’s most notorious gangs battling for  supremacy on that night.

In Ndeke and other surrounding areas, a gang of teenagers called the Tokota Boys terrorises residents at night.

And in Kwacha, Buchi and Kamitondo areas, another gang of teenagers calling themselves Sons of the Devil or SOD, in in charge there.

And these two gangs clashed at Mukuba Mall during the count-down to the New Year.

And the result was injuries, broken down bottles and hundreds of people scampering in all directions.

The Tokota Boys, who were in large numbers, possibly 30, easily fought off SOD who were less in number.

The showdown only took about three minutes and after defeating the other gang, the Tokota Boys walked round the mall in celebration.

The SOD disappeared for the rest of the night.

Police Officers in full riot gear came on the scene 10 minutes after the situation returned to normal.

This is not the first time teenage gangs are terrorising residents of Kitwe.

All these years, these unemployed youths have been a nuisance.

In late 2015, 16 SOD gang members were arrested and prosecuted.

This was after the group went on rampage beating and killing people.

The group was also suspected of having killed a security guard at one of the schools in Kamitondo.

It was in this same period when Kitwe witnessed a spate of break-ins at schools were dozens of computers were stolen, leaving pupils without aides for their ICT lessons.

All of them were found guilty, but because they were in examination classes, the Magistrate decided to give them suspended sentences so they could write Grade seven and nine examinations.

But two years down the line, 'the Sons Of the Devil' are at it again.

According to some observers, teenage gangs in Kitwe are increasing due to unemployment and abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Back to New Year Eve celebrations at Mukuba Mall, teenagers took over the show, drinking and dancing the night away.

It was disheartening to see teenage girls drunk and indecently dressed.

Boys too were in such state, drunk and shouting unprintables.

Elsewhere in Kitwe, night clubs were filled to capacity as people counted down to the New Year.

In Nkana East, people were having a nice time and the menu on the table was mostly beer.

But for the religious, it was a time to reflect.

Saint Margaret’s Congregation of the United Church of Zambia was filled to capacity.

"God cannot allow you to cross into 2018 if you have no purpose. He has a purpose for you, so be responsible in the New Year," said Reverend Freda Kamana during her sermon on that night.

Whether at the night club, at Mukuba Mall or in church, Kitwe residents did not sleep until they had crossed over into 2018 in their own way.

And in the end, 45 people were arrested across Kitwe on New Year’s Eve for conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

"Most of the people arrested paid admission of guilty fines and have been released. Some are still being held in custody," said Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Charity Katanga in a telephone interview.