A CHINESE national is battling for his life in hospital after he was shot and wounded by bandits who got away with his motor vehicle.

Prior to shooting the man, the bandits had held him and his workers hostage in his factory.

And in a surprising turn of events, the bandits turned their guns on a colleague whose body they dumped on the road side.

Central Province police chief Standwell Lungu said the incident happened around 23:00 hours on Saturday in Chisamba when the eight gunmen attacked the tissue-manufacturing factory.

The Chinese with the help of some workers attempted to challenge the criminals but was shot in the chest.

He was rushed to University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka where he is battling for his life.

Mr Lungu said the criminals then sped off in the vehicle and the police later discovered the body of one of the bandits dumped near the road.

The body was identified to be that of one of the gangsters that had attacked the factory and it was taken to Liteta Hospital mortuary awaiting identification.

In Kabwe, a motorbike belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture was stolen last week while parked at the ministry premises.

Meanwhile, a prisoner in Namwala has died while 16 others are nursing serious injuries when a van carrying 18 inmates and two prison officers overturned after a tyre burst on the Choma-Namwala Road.

Southern Province police chief, Charity Katanga confirmed in an interview that the accident occurred around 08:00 hours yesterday.

Ms Katanga said the inmate, identified as Balon Kakume, 27, died on the spot after sustaining severe head injuries.

Five prisoners were rushed to UTH for specialised treatment, while others were admitted to Namwala District Hospital.

The injured included two prison warders identified as Moses Kabwita, 45, an inspector, and Jacqueline Singoyi, a chief inspector.