Youngson Kalobo’s young brother, Cyme Kalobo has been chosen by the jerabos to succeed Youngson who died few days ago. Cyme Kalobo will now head the group that has gained national notoriety for it’s copper related activities and widely referred to as ‘The Jerabo’s’.
Youngson, fondly called ‘Commander’ by his army of followers died last week and was put to rest at Kitwe’s Nkana East Cemetery in a funeral procession that saw fierce looking men in muscle shirt’s and others clad in black suits bring the city to a virtual standstill as they scaled around in their Hummers, convertible BMWs and 4×4 vehicles through a kilometre long procession that had been mounted for their fallen leader.
But Youngson’s successor is not new on the scene, with his late brother, the two have been accused of running a brazen criminal enterprise that glamorised mischief thriving on intimidation and left dozens of their opponent’s hurt in their business dealings.
In 2011, the crew launched a daring raid and disrupted proceedings at a Kitchen party at Kitwe basic school.
As the young bride was basking in the glory of hosting family and friends as she bade farewell to spinsterhood, a dozen Jerabo’s pitched up and turned the event into a living nightmare because she had simply rejected advances by one of them.
But it is their control of the heavily contested ‘Black Mountain’ that transformed them into overnight millionaires leading opulent lifestyles and establish their grip unchallenged.
According to those familiar with the beginnings of the group, ‘Jerabo’ is slang and a corruption of ‘Jail’ and was originally a syndicate of idle and unemployed youth’s that had served time before.