A 22 year old alleged illegal miner in Luanshya has drowned after jumping into Luanshya dam, while attempting to evade arrest by security officers at Luanshya Copper Mines. The deceased, identified as Malenga of Buteko Avenue in Luanshya, died after he allegedly plunged into the dam on January 3, 2026, as officers moved in to apprehend suspected illegal miners operating within the mine premises. The incident was reported to New Town Police Post on January 3, 2026, around 16:20 hours, and had occurred earlier at about 15:40 hours at Luanshya dam within Luanshya Copper Mine premises.
Mine Police Officer Miyamba Tukolele, aged 44, of Ndeke Extension in Luanshya, reported the matter on behalf of Luanshya Copper mines. Mr Tukolele who was on duty received information at about 16:09 hours from Panorama Security guards manning the pipeline area that suspected illegal miners had criminally trespassed into the mine with intent to commit a felony. Mr Tukolele, accompanied by his colleague Bernard Phiri, aged 32 and Zambia Police Mobile Unit officers deployed at the mine, rushed to the scene.
Upon noticing the patrol team, the suspected illegal miners fled in different directions, with one of them jumping into Luanshya Dam and failing to resurface. Immediate search efforts by mine police and mobile unit officers proved futile, prompting the matter to be formally reported to the police. However another joint search operation of a combined team of police and luanshya municipal Council Fire Brigade was conducted at around 10:00 hours and the body was later retrieved at around 11:45 hours.
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The deceased was positively identified by his father, Kumoyo Malenga, aged 50, of Chifubu Secondary School area in Ndola. A physical inspection of the body revealed injuries to the lips and eyelids, suspected to have been caused by water species. The body has since been deposited at St. Anne’s Tontozo Funeral Parlour in Luanshya, awaiting postmortem examination and burial.
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