Jerabo Commander Chile One Jailed Five Years

Chile One in black shirt

By Paul Shalala

The Kitwe High Court has sent prominent Jerabo Commander Richard Chileshe, who is popularly known as Chile One, to jail for five years after he lost his appeal in his copper theft case.

Chile One, who was convicted by the Kitwe Magistrate’s Court with two others in 2016, appealed the five year sentence in the Kitwe High Court.

Jerabos are illegal miners who have in the recent past been trabsformed into small scale miners after their work was legalized by the Ministry of Mines.

Chile One happens to be among the top few leaders known as commanders who own huge tipper trucks and employ dozens of youths who work for them at the copper rich dumpsite called Black Mountain in Kitwe.

With this decision by the High Court, he is now a convict, serving a five year jail term at the Kamfinsa Correctional Facility in Kitwe.

Chile One, together with John Mapoma and Danny Ngosa, are alleged to have stolen 30 copper blisters valued at K1.7 million, the property of Chambeshi Copper Smelter.

After being stolen, the copper blisters were buried at Chile One’s garage.

After their conviction in 2016, the three decided to appeal the matter in the Kitwe High Court on four grounds.

However, on Friday, Livingstone High Court Judge-In-Charge Chilombo Maka-Phiri sitting in Kitwe, dismissed all the grounds of appeal.

Justice Phiri said the appeal had no merit and she upheld the five year sentence slapped on the three by the lower court.

She added that the appellants would serve the five year sentence effective Friday.

After the ruling, Chile One and Ngosa were immediately led to a holding cell, en route to the Kamfinsa Correctional Facility.

The judge later issued a bench warrant for Mapoma who wasn’t in the court room.

Jerabos And Their Dangerous Mining Methods In Luanshya

The author interviewing some illegal
miners in one of their caves

By Paul Shalala in Luanshya

A disaster is looming at Luanshya Copper Mines where hundreds of illegal miners armed with picks and steel rodes are risking their lives by digging for copper and chrome at one of the mine's two Black Mountains.

Luanshya Copper Mines is owned by CNMC, a Chinese conglomerate.

But the illegal miners, who are mostly youths, have over the past years invaded the area and dug several underground caves where they dig for copper and chrome in unsafe conditions.

This reporter recently had rare access to these miners who are dangerous and are known for killing or injuring security officers.

These miners do not have safety suits, safety goggles or safety boots, they dig with their bare hands and end up with injuries at times.

Two days before the interview, the miners who are locally known as Ifinyamunyamu or Jerabos, beat up guards from Cobra Security with machetes and chased them from the mine site.

But using the help of heavily armed Police officers, this reporter negotiated his way to the Black Mountain where he had an exclusive interview with leaders of these miners.

One of the leaders of the illegal miners Bernard Mulenga who is popularly known as Pisto, says they risk their lives to dig illegally because of the quest for money.

Mr Mulenga, who is a former convict, says through illegal mining, they are able to make money to feed their families and take children to school.

He told this blogger that despite the dangers of being buried alive, poverty forces them to do illegal work to raise money.

“We work in these caves without fear because we have no jobs. We risk our lives and dig for copper concentrates and chrome using various tools. But this cave you are looking at, we have abandoned it because it is not safe, it can bury us alive,” said Pisto as he pointed at an abandoned cave.

Another illegal miner Evans Kabanda has asked President Edgar Lungu to consider giving the copper rich slug dump to the youths.

Mr Kabanda says just like he did to the youths of Kitwe, President Lungu should consider empowering youths in Luanshya with the two Black Mountains to reduce unemployment in the mining town.

“If we can be given this Black Mountain like our colleagues were given in Kitwe, mining can be safer. They can even empower us with excavators so that we stop mining in caves,” said Mr Kabanda.

But Luanshya District Commissioner Joel Chibuye, who recently visited the site, expressed concern that the continued illegal mining at Luanshya Copper Mines will cause fatalities.

Mr Chibuye said government is now working out plans to find ways in which the youths can be helped to avoid illegal mining in unsafe caves.

“We just had a disaster at the Black Mountain in Kitwe and we risk having another one here in Luanshya. We have started engaging stakeholders to ensure that we avert this crisis,” he said.

The slug dump is legally owned by Luanshya Copper Mines but these illegal miners have made it their workplace.

Their dangerous ways of mining is a source of concern.

Not too long ago, 11 illegal miners were buried alive at a similar Black Mountain in Kitwe.

Despite all this risk, these illegal miners are not the biggest beneficiaries of the slug dump.

Richer players on the black market buy the copper concentrates and chrome from these miners.

The middle men then sale the stones to the Chinese who have a number of smelters across the Copperbelt.

This illegal business is so sophisticated that trucks visit the Black Mountains at night to collect what is dug during the day.

Thousands See Off Jerabo Leader Youngson In His Golden Coffin

By Paul Shalala

The late Youngson Kalobo (Middle)

Youngson Kalobo, the leader of the small scale miners commonly known as Jerabos, has been put to rest in an extravagant funeral characterised by a procession of expensive vehicles and a golden coffin.

Youngson, who was commonly referred to as Commander by his followers, died a few days ago and was today put to rest at Nkana East Cemetery in Kitwe.

Dozens of Jerabos clad in black suits led a procession of over 50 Hummers, convertable BMWs and 4x4 vehicles in a kilometer long procession that went through Kitwe town.

The procession also went round Wusakile area where the Copper slug dump commonly known as famous Black Mountain is located.

Youngson viciously fought for the slug dump to be given to youths so that they can extract mineral residues and earn a living.

The motorcade later stopped at Nkana Stadium, the home of 12 time league champions Nkana F.C. where a church service was held.

Part of the motorcade

It was during this service that details of Youngson's association to several religious and social organisations was unveiled.

The 39 year old businessman was an active member of the Zambia Scouts Association where he was elected as the organisation's Chairman in Kitwe District last year.

It was also learnt that Youngson, due to his generosity to the United Church of Zambia (UCZ), was recently elected Projects Convener for the UCZ Wusakile Church Choir.

This was after he sponsored the production of their latest album and videos.

Thousands of Kitwe residents thronged the stadium as they listened to speeches after speeches.

Body viewing which started around 11:00hrs, took over two hours as thousands of people took turns in viewing the remains of their late friend.

Youngson's golden coffin

The golden casket carrying the remains of the Jerabo leader was later taken to Nkana East Cemetery were he was buried at around 15:30hrs today.

Youngson is survived by a wife and three children.

He was one of the richest youths in Kitwe who owned a fleet of trucks and garages.

He was well known for splashing huge amounts of money to street kids at Chisokone market.

Among prominent people who attended the burial were Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili, Wusakile MP Richard Musukwa, Copperbelt Deputy Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga and Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe.

Others were Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale, Kitwe-based councillors, businessmen, leaders from the ruling Patriotic Front and marketeers from various markets across Kitwe.

The Zambia Police Service had deployed riot Police in strategic points across the city to quell any violence during the funeral procession.

Government To Hand Over Lucrative 'Black Mountain' To Youths

Christopher Yaluma

By Paul Shalala in Kitwe

The Zambian government has revealed that it is in the process of issuing mining licences to youths of Kitwe's Wusakile township to start mining the famous Black Mountain.

Youths in the area have been fighting to take over the black mountain which is believed to be holding minerals worth billions of kwacha.

The Black Mountain

In an interview, Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma says the mining licences will allow the youths exploit the former mine to find start up capital to open other businesses.

"We want the youths to be united, form cooperatives and then we can grant them licences to mine and find income to dio businesses," said Mr Yaluma.

Wusakile ward councillor Davies Simunyola has welcomed government's new position saying it will go a long way in keeping the youths active and beneficial to the economy.

Mr Simunyola says he has had a tough time calming down the youths not to turn violent in their quest to take over the black mountain.

And Riverside ward councillor Christopher Kangombe says empowering the youths with the black Mountain will help improve people's living standards in Kitwe.

Meanwhile, Mulotwa Sichalwe who is one of the youths advocating for the Black Mountain, has appealed to government to provide protective clothing to the youths who will be given mining licences.

Mr Sichalwe says the current mining methods at the black Mountain are not safe as they pose as a health hazard to the illegal miners.