21 Zimbabwean fishermen nabbed in Zambia

TWENTY-ONE Zimbabwean fishermen were yesterday arrested by police in Siavonga District of Southern Province after allegedly being found fishing on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba.
This comes barely a few months after nine Zambian fishermen were arrested by Zimbabwean security officers after being caught fishing in that country’s side of Lake Kariba, each is currently serving a sentence of one year and five months imprisonment with hard labour.
District Commissioner (DC) Lovemore Kanyama, who confirmed the arrests in an interview, said the 21 Zimbabwean fishermen were arrested by police in the early hours of yesterday.
Mr Kanyama said the fishermen were found with nine fishing vessels on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba without authority.
“In the early hours of today (yesterday), police in Siavonga arrested a total number of 21 fishermen from Zimbabwe who were found fishing on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba without authority,” he said.
He said, the fishermen, whose names were yet to be known, were detained at Siavonga Police station and would appear in court this week.
The suspects,aged between 21 and 35, were expected to be formally charged by Police today.
Mr Kanyama commended the Police for the swift operation to arrest the fishermen.
He, however, bemoaned lack of a motor vehicle for police in Siavonga and appealed to Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to help provide a vehicle for the officers to enhance patrols.
Southern Province Police chief Godwin Phiri was, however, unreachable for a comment.-Times