CDF police car theft takes new twist

• Lumezi man accused of stealing vehicle says he has never driven car before

MAYENGO NYIRENDA

Chipata

A MAN of Lumezi District who is accused of driving off with a stolen police vehicle has told a judge that he has never driven a car since his birth.

Robert Mapili, 29, told the Chipata High Court that he is wondering why he is accused of speeding off with a K1million Constituency Development Fund (CDF) –funded car yet he cannot drive.

“I’m not sick’ to steal a police motor vehicle clearly labelled Zambia Police. I don’t even know how to drive a car. I have never driven one before in my entire life,” Mapili testified in his defence.

The accused was testifying before Judge Ketra Walubita in a case he is charged with aggravated robbery.

Accusations are that on July 17, 2025, Mapili attacked two police officers with catapults at a roadblock on the Lundazi Chama road before speeding off with a police car.

This was after traffic officers earlier impounded his motorbike.

The accused was found with a case to answer and placed on his defence.

In his defence, he denied the accusations, especially that he cannot drive a car.

He further denied attacking the two officers after an altercation at the roadblock in Chasefu.

However, Mapili confirmed travelling to Chasefu that same day to buy groundnuts, but later changed his plans and attempted to buy a K23,000 motorbike.

He confirmed that the motorbike was impounded at a roadblock while he was on a road test with the owner and another passenger.

“We found a roadblock on the curve, and as I was slowing down, the officer on duty pulled us back. I failed to balance the motorbike and we all fell down,” Mapili said.

He narrated that after falling, he began exchanging unprintables with the officers, and one of them threatened to shoot him from behind.

Mapili said he left the owner of the motorbike, Lackson Phiri, and Sandra Ngwenya, a passenger, and he proceeded to Lundazi town and later went to Lumezi.

He denied returning to attack the police at the security checkpoint and driving away with the police vehicle, which was allegedly later abandoned in the bush along with slippers, an axe, and a catapult.

Mapili maintained that he only learnt about the stolen motor vehicle while he was in Chasefu in December, when he was apprehended.

During cross-examination, state advocate Sydney Siafwa asked the accused to try fitting into the slippers found inside the abandoned police car The court allowed the accused to fit the slippers twice to confirm whether they belonged to him. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home