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| Tokota Gang members leaving the Kitwe Magistrates' Court after taking plea -Picture by Marilyn Rose |
More charges have been filed against a
number of suspected Tokota Boys gang members, two weeks after they were charged
for grivious harm, unlawful wounding, abduction and poisoning.
On Monday, the de facto leader of the Tokota Boys gang Boniface Lubansa
was slapped with a further charge of unlawful wounding, contrary to Section 232
A of the laws of Zambia.
The 21 year old Lubansa, who is
popularly known as Nigga Lu, has been jointly charged with two other Tokota
Boys gang members.
These are 23 year old Kingsley
Ngoma and Wezzy Chilembo who is aged 20.
The three appeared before
Principal Resident Magistrate Chongo Musonda for allegedly assaulting Israel
Chileshe on 27th February this year.
They pleaded not guilty and their
case has been adjourned to June 4 for commencement of trial.
On the same day, three other members of the gang were charged with raping a woman when they appeared before Kitwe Chief Resident Magistrate Yvonne Nalomba at the Kitwe Magistrates' Court.
The three, who include 21 year old
Richard Chileshe, Teddy Chilufya and Chris Kalenga who are both 20 years old,
are separately charged for unlawfully having carnal knowledge of a woman in
February this year.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case was adjourned to June 11 for commencement of trial.
And in the main matter which came
up on Monday, 19 Tokota Boys appeared for mention before Kitwe Chief Resident
Magistrate Yvonne Nalomba where the state informed the court that the Director
of Public Prosecutions has not yet issued instructions to commit them to the
High Court.
Magistrate Nalomba later adjourned the
matter to 11th June, 2018 for another mention.
The 19 suspected Tokota Boys are facing three charges of grievous harm, abduction or kidnapping and unlawful wounding and poisoning, charges which are only triable in the High Court.
Their cases arose from a video where
they allegedly assaulted a 16 year old of Mulenga Compound in April this year.
According to court records, the 19
Tokota Boys gang members are bus conductors, shopkeepers, pupils and unemployed
youths from Kitwe, Ndola and Mufulira whose ages range from 15 to 34.
Meanwhile, trial in the case where the
youngest member of the Tokota Boys gang is facing a single count of assault, failed
to take off on Monday due to the absence of the minor's guardians.
When the case came up before Chief
Resident Magistrate Yvonne Nalomba, the state presented the arresting officer
as a witness but Magistrate Nalomba could not proceed with the case due to the
absence of the boy’s guardians.
The 15 year old boy is alleged to have
assaulted Gift Mwale on 29th April this year.
Magistrate Nalomba has since adjourned
the matter to 11th June for possible commencement of trial.
The 20 suspected Tokota Boys were
ferried to the Kitwe Magistrates Court in four Police pickup trucks under heavy
security.
Hundreds of Kitwe residents stood on
either side of President Avenue to catch a glimpse of the notorious youths who
have been brutalising residents for some time now.
The Tokota Boys are just one of the many gang members in Kitwe who are appearing in court on various criminal cases.
Other gang members from The Hundreds, 90 Niggas and Sons Of the Devil (SOD) gangs are all appearing in different courts on various charges such as idle and disorderly conduct, assault and theft.
Each of these gangs "control" several neighbourhoods of Kitwe where they beat up people and steal from them, especially at night.
The Tokota Boys are just one of the many gang members in Kitwe who are appearing in court on various criminal cases.
Other gang members from The Hundreds, 90 Niggas and Sons Of the Devil (SOD) gangs are all appearing in different courts on various charges such as idle and disorderly conduct, assault and theft.
Each of these gangs "control" several neighbourhoods of Kitwe where they beat up people and steal from them, especially at night.
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