By ALEX NJOVU
A 34-YEAR-OLD security guard had the scare of his life in Kitwe on Thursday evening when a group of 10 commercial sex workers robbed him of K50,000 and a cell phone after holding him hostage and threatening to “rape” him if he did not give them the money.
Apparently, the night workers had been experiencing ‘barren’ outings as men kept their wallets close to their chests, and were desperate for some hard cash to keep them going.
Moses Mulenga, who works for a named company, said he was accosted by a group of more than 10 “huge” women near the Boma offices around 20:00 hours, who demanded money from him.
He said in an interview yesterday three of the women grabbed him, took off their clothes and warned him that they would take turns in raping him if he did not comply with their demand for cash.
They fondled his private parts to show him that they meant business.
“I was going home after knocking off from work and I decided to pass through the Boma offices near the Magistrates’ Court’s grounds. I was approached by about 10 huge women, who threatened to rape me if I did not give them money.
Three of them stripped naked in front of me, while two of them started undressing me as I did not want to give them the last money I had. What complicated everything is that these women accused me of seeing their nakedness as if I had asked them to undress,” he said.
Mr Mulenga, who is a son of a retired army officer in Kitwe, said he realised that the women meant business when one of them opened his zip and that it was at this point he quickly gave them the K50,000 and that their leader slapped him before she ordered his release.
He said the angry women accused him of trespassing on their ‘territory’ and also stole a cell phone from him.
“I was terrified and shocked at what I went through. Within three minutes I was surrounded by huge women and my trousers were down. If it had not been for the K50,000 I gave them, I would have been raped because two of them fondled me,” he said.
Mr Mulenga warned men against ‘trespassing on the Magistrates’ Court’s premises at night, saying the area has allegedly been taken over by the hefty commercial sex workers, who harass and rape men who refuse to give them money.
“These women are now claiming that the area around the Boma and Magistrates’ Court is theirs. They have given themselves plots, when you pass through that area at night you will have to pay heavily. When you fail, you are raped and sometimes beaten, the way they robbed me before slapping me. They are also working in conjunction with male street kids, who help in harassing stubborn clients,” he said.
And Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo said her office is ready to conduct a huge operation using officers from other towns to deal with sex workers who have been harassing residents at night.
Ms Tembo, however, urged people who are harassed to report cases to the police directly.
“Let these men who are harassed come to the police and tell us what happens and we will move in to conduct an operation using officers from other towns,” Ms Tembo said.
Kitwe City Council (KCC) acting public relations manager Dorothy Sampa said the council is aware that some men are harassed by sex workers at night, especially around the Boma and Magistrates’ Court’s grounds.
“We are aware of what is happening. We know what goes on around that area but as the council, it is not our role to police that place; it is the Zambia Police Service that is supposed to do that.
We also know prominent men in Kitwe who go out to get sex workers at night. They must not go there. These sex workers are on the streets because of some of the well-known men who pick them,” Ms Sampa said.
And Kitwe district commissioner Mwape Kasanda said the matter was laughable and promised to comment on it later.
Apparently, the night workers had been experiencing ‘barren’ outings as men kept their wallets close to their chests, and were desperate for some hard cash to keep them going.
Moses Mulenga, who works for a named company, said he was accosted by a group of more than 10 “huge” women near the Boma offices around 20:00 hours, who demanded money from him.
He said in an interview yesterday three of the women grabbed him, took off their clothes and warned him that they would take turns in raping him if he did not comply with their demand for cash.
They fondled his private parts to show him that they meant business.
“I was going home after knocking off from work and I decided to pass through the Boma offices near the Magistrates’ Court’s grounds. I was approached by about 10 huge women, who threatened to rape me if I did not give them money.
Three of them stripped naked in front of me, while two of them started undressing me as I did not want to give them the last money I had. What complicated everything is that these women accused me of seeing their nakedness as if I had asked them to undress,” he said.
Mr Mulenga, who is a son of a retired army officer in Kitwe, said he realised that the women meant business when one of them opened his zip and that it was at this point he quickly gave them the K50,000 and that their leader slapped him before she ordered his release.
He said the angry women accused him of trespassing on their ‘territory’ and also stole a cell phone from him.
“I was terrified and shocked at what I went through. Within three minutes I was surrounded by huge women and my trousers were down. If it had not been for the K50,000 I gave them, I would have been raped because two of them fondled me,” he said.
Mr Mulenga warned men against ‘trespassing on the Magistrates’ Court’s premises at night, saying the area has allegedly been taken over by the hefty commercial sex workers, who harass and rape men who refuse to give them money.
“These women are now claiming that the area around the Boma and Magistrates’ Court is theirs. They have given themselves plots, when you pass through that area at night you will have to pay heavily. When you fail, you are raped and sometimes beaten, the way they robbed me before slapping me. They are also working in conjunction with male street kids, who help in harassing stubborn clients,” he said.
And Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo said her office is ready to conduct a huge operation using officers from other towns to deal with sex workers who have been harassing residents at night.
Ms Tembo, however, urged people who are harassed to report cases to the police directly.
“Let these men who are harassed come to the police and tell us what happens and we will move in to conduct an operation using officers from other towns,” Ms Tembo said.
Kitwe City Council (KCC) acting public relations manager Dorothy Sampa said the council is aware that some men are harassed by sex workers at night, especially around the Boma and Magistrates’ Court’s grounds.
“We are aware of what is happening. We know what goes on around that area but as the council, it is not our role to police that place; it is the Zambia Police Service that is supposed to do that.
We also know prominent men in Kitwe who go out to get sex workers at night. They must not go there. These sex workers are on the streets because of some of the well-known men who pick them,” Ms Sampa said.
And Kitwe district commissioner Mwape Kasanda said the matter was laughable and promised to comment on it later.
