John Laing residents bemoan harassment by junkies

LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes

RESIDENTS of Lusaka’s John Laing Compound have complained of continued harassment by the ‘junkies’.
The residents said the situation was deteriorating as the junkies were no longer scared of anyone but as long as they saw someone with a carrier bag.
One of the residents, Michael Phiri, said that the junkies were also deliberating targeting shops owned by Rwandese nationals to steal goods or extort monies from them.
“Sometimes they will go to the shops and demand for money and if they cannot give them money, they grab goods from them,” said Mr. Phiri.
He said that the junkies now did not mind what time it was but attached people at will whether during day or night.
Mr Phiri also observed that there was an increase in the number of shops built in fromnt of homes being transformed into bars hence creating a hideout for criminals near the homes.
“The Junks hide in the ‘tuntembas’ and bars operating near the houses which they use as launch pads for their criminal activities,” he said.
He said that the residents in the area were no longer safe as they were forced to lock their houses even when merely going to the latrine for fear of being robbed.
And a taxi driver who resides in the area, said the earnings from his taxi business have been affected because he had been forced to stop working in the night for fear of being attacked by the junkies.
The resident, who chose to remain anonymous, said the junkies were also in the habit of grabbing money and personal belongings from taxi drivers and customers especially at night.
He said it was difficult to fight off the attacks as the junkies moved in large groups.
He appeared to the Zambia Police to deploy more officers in John Liang to patrol the area and stop the criminal activities going on there.