Nkayi villagers duped

News
Nkayi Rural District Council (NRDC) has suspended a security firm, PallMac Security Company, from conducting any activities in the district amid fears that it had duped 156 villagers.

Nkayi Rural District Council (NRDC) has suspended a security firm, PallMac Security Company, from conducting any activities in the district amid fears that it had duped 156 villagers.

CHIEF REPORTER The firm allegedly duped suffering and jobless villagers to part with $10 each to secure jobs that never materialised. Former NRDC chairperson and councillor for Ward 29, Kufakwezwe Ncube, said council was left with no option but to bar the firm from operating in the district on suspicion that it was bogus.

“As council, we have noted the mushrooming of security firms in Nkayi promising locals employment after undergoing training,” he said.

“What is surprising is that they don’t seek approval to operate from council. “We issued a directive on Monday instructing PallMac Security Company to stop all operations. We suspect it’s bogus.”

He said as per council procedure, all security firms should be vetted first by the police before they can be granted permission by council. However, Ncube said PallMac had bypassed council.

Ncube said 160 villagers fell victim to an alleged scam when the jobs they were promised after completing training never materialised.

“Each person was made to pay $10 before training and a pass-out parade was planned for last Saturday where certificates would have been handed out.

“However, that never happened, so villagers are saying they were tricked and we as council are protecting the locals by blocking the firm,” Ncube said.

Contacted for comment yesterday, the PallMac owner, who only identified himself as Matika, confirmed the recruitment of villagers in Nkayi. He said he thought it was not necessary to approach council.