In the dead of night, under the cold gaze of a Lusaka moon, justice rained down, swift and final as 38-year-old Sebastian Mulenga booked himself a plot, six feet under after a bullet took him straight to Chalo Chamaluba Maluba.
Mulenga, hailing from Lusaka's Kabanana had eluded the grasp of the law for far too long, subjecting the men in uniform to a fruitless game of cat and mouse.
However, with a tip from the public, Graphel Musamba’s men struck some luck as they closed in and cornered the wanted criminal at a lodge in Chelstone area bringing to an end his reign of terror.
After several sessions of painful interrogations, the Lilayi Police tactics broke down the hard-core criminal who now was ready to admit it all.
He led officers to locations where stolen weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and pistols, were recovered.
While searching for another weapon at a cemetery, Mulenga in a daring act of bravado attempted to disarm an officer but his act ended in fatal failure as another officer pumped several copper bullets into his body right at the venue where he was destined to lie forever.
Mulenga, had been wanted for various offenses, including the murder of a police officer in 2021.
Zambia Police Deputy spokesperson Danny Mwale confirmed Mulenga's involvement with another wanted criminal who died in police custody last December.
"The suspect admitted to have been an accomplice to another dangerous criminal identified as Friday Mumba who was apprehended by the Anti-Robbery squad in December 2023 and later died due to head injuries he sustained after he jumped off a Police vehicle during investigations in Eastern province," added Mwale.
Mwale said Mulenga's body is currently awaiting formal identification