(ZambiaThugs kill mercy pilot


Unknown people attack ZFDS team in Mkushi, steal cellphone, shoes, wallet
By KANGWA MULENGA

UNKNOWN people with spears on Wednesday afternoon attacked a team of Zambia Flying Doctors Service (ZFDS) officials on a mercy mission in Luano valley in Mkushi and brutally killed one.

ZFDS executive director Rex Musukwa confirmed the incident in an interview in Ndola yesterday.

Dr Musukwa said the chief pilot, Major Moses Masumba, was attacked and killed on the spot by four people after he was ambushed together with his co-pilot Yichidi Ndhlovu and a radio engineer on their way back to the airstrip from Chinika clinic.

“We have lost a very experienced pilot and what happened is very sad because we went there to provide health services to the people and no one else goes there apart from the flying doctor service,” Dr Musukwa said.

He said Major Masumba’s body was found with multiple stabs of a spear and that the people who killed him got away with his cellphone, shoes and a wallet.
Dr Musukwa appealed to security wings to attach armed officers to the ZFDS.

He said it was regrettable that people could attack a medical team providing services over a cellphone and shoes.

Dr Musukwa said the co-pilot, together with the other seven medical staff that had gone to the area to provide medial services, flew back to Ndola with Major Masumba’s body immediately after the incident.

“The co-pilot was actually very courageous to fly especially with what had happened and you can imagine in this area there is no single police station. It’s indeed very sad that we have lost a pillar in the company,” Dr Musukwa said.

He said the late Major Masumba, the co-pilot and the radio engineer were on the way to the airstrip to prepare the plane for take-off as the medical team were doing last check-ups on patients at Chinika clinic near Lunsenfwa river.

The funeral is being held at the late Major Masumba’s house, plot No. 11 on Bombesheni Road in Kansenshi.

This is very sad to hear....RIP...

Back in the mid 90's the Sudanese Army mined one of our Hercs at Wao because the ICRC would not pay the greedy bastards a bigger bribe, and shot down an ICRC Twin Otter, also at Wao. That's Africa. Just because you're on a mission of mercy doesn't mean you're immune to Africa's inherent brutality.

I knows where you got dem shooz.

Police crack squad hunts pilot killers
By Times Reporter

POLICE have deployed a special paramilitary taskforce to hunt killers of Zambia Flying Doctor Services chief pilot Moses Masumba in Luano Valley.

Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the taskforce would remain in the area until the suspects who had been identified were arrested.

He named three prime suspects as Mika Mailoni, Fabian Mailoni and Stephano Mailoni who had been on the police wanted list since 2007.

“The three brothers have been living in the bush since 2007 after murdering another person in the area.

“The special task force unit will remain in the area until the suspects are found at all costs and members of the public have been urged to co-operate with the taskforce by providing all necessary information deemed useful in order to arrest the three brothers,” Mr Kabonde said.

He said the provincial joint operations committee had been conducting aerial search with a helicopter but this had not yielded anything.

He assured local residents of continued peace in the area in spite of the brutal killing of Maj Masumba.

On Wednesday, Maj Masumba was stabbed to death by spear wielding men in Lunsemfwa area of Luano Valley 50 kilometres south west of old Mkushi Boma.

ZFDS has since suspended operations indefinitely in remote Luano Valley and Muchinga Escarpment areas.

quote:

He assured local residents of continued peace in the area in spite of the brutal killing

Maybe he could get a job in Chicago or Kansas City.