A scam has been unearthed where people masquerading as Chipata Municipal Council employees are collecting 250 Kwacha per house as a ground rate in Mchini Compound.
According to the affected residents, the swindlers are even threatening them that they would lose their household properties if they do not pay the money to the local authority.
Among those who were affected, were those from Chinjala area.
And Chipata Municipal Council has indicated that it will investigate the matter because it has not authorised any person to collect ground rate in the unplanned settlement.
Town Clerk Davies Musenge stated that those masquerading as council employees were committing a serious offence.
Mr Musenge explained that the local authority does not collect ground rate from Mchini compound because the compound is still an unplanned settlement.