On Thursday, December 3, a couple from Shaanxi who ran a wig business in Lusaka were attacked and killed. Three suspects involved in the case have been captured, and the stolen vehicle has been recovered.
According to Xinjingbao, in the evening of December 3, a Shaanxi couple engaged in the wig business in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, were attacked and killed by unknown intruders with knives at their residence. Currently, three suspects have been arrested.
A local police spokesperson stated in a statement that when the officers arrived at the scene, they found two bodies, identified as Li, 57, and Liu, 55, with multiple stab wounds. Preliminary investigations revealed that the couple was attacked by intruders shortly after returning home around 5:30 pm on that day. The suspects then stole some cash and a Toyota Highlander.
According to supplementary information released by the Zambia China General Chamber of Commerce, the incident took place at a farm on the outskirts of Lusaka, where several Chinese citizens reside. Surveillance footage showed that the woman was first attacked in the front yard, followed by the man inside the living room being killed by the assailants. The main suspect stayed in the house for about an hour, after which two accomplices entered the yard, and all three drove away.
On the morning of December 4, the landlord, noticing that the victims’ vehicle had not returned and they were unreachable, went to check and discovered that both had been killed.
Local Zambian media reported on December 4 that the three suspects had been apprehended by the police that day, and the stolen vehicle was successfully recovered. The case is still under further investigation.
In recent years, with an increasing number of Chinese citizens traveling to Africa for investment, business, and work, they have faced security risks such as kidnapping, robbery, and violent attacks in some countries.
Voice of America quoted analysts in Johannesburg as saying that due to the expanding presence of Chinese enterprises in Africa, Chinese citizens in some high-risk areas “inevitably become prime targets for kidnapping and violent crimes.”
Cobus van Staden, a researcher at the South African Institute for International Affairs, mentioned that there is a common perception in some African countries that “Chinese people usually carry more cash,” making them prime targets for criminals.
He also pointed out that there is a lack of systematic records of kidnapping cases involving Chinese citizens in Africa because many incidents are not reported by local law enforcement or the Chinese authorities, and details such as whether the kidnapped individuals are released or ransom is paid are often not disclosed.
A series of attacks and kidnappings targeting Chinese citizens indicate that the Chinese community engaged in investment, work, and business in Africa is facing an increasingly challenging security environment.