NOT even claiming that God is his witness prevented a magistrate from jailing a 27-year old man accused of trying to rape his neighbour’s wife while her husband was in police custody.

Lusaka Magistrate Idah Phiri sentenced Mathews Mtonga, a builder of Ng’ombe Township, to two years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to rape a 30-year-old woman he had escorted to the police to report her husband.

This is in a case Mtonga was facing one count of attempted rape, an incident which happened on August 23, 2022.

Mtonga attempted to rape Tryness Mvula without her consent.

The accused denied the charge.

The court heard that on the material day, Ms Mvula had an altercation with her husband and decided to go to Ng’ombe Police Station to report a case.

She accused her husband, Josphat Zulu, of malicious damage to property.

But on her way back home from the police, she met Mtonga, whom she new as Pilato, who offered to apprehend her husband and take him to the police station in connection with malicious damage to property.

Evidence is that Mtonga, with th help of others, apprehended Mr Zulu and took him to the police where he was detained.

The court heard that Ms Mvula then confided in Mtonga and explained to him that her husband had beaten her despite the fact that she had been financially supporting him.

But as Mtonga was escorting Ms Mvula in the evening, Mtonga tried to force himself on her by grabbing her in the neck.

The woman, who wore jeans, fell down and Mtonga went on top of her.

At this point, a vehicle driving by flashed some lights as the accused fled the scene and reported to the police and the accused was later arrested.

Magistrate Idah Phiri said the evidence was collaborative and linked the accused to the offence.

“I find the accused guilty and convict him,” magistrate Phiri said.

In mitigation, the accused pleaded for lenience because he is an only child fending for other relations.

“This is an offence I cannot commit. God is my witness,” he said.

But the magistrate said while he deserved leniency as a first offender, the case has been rampant in Lusaka and she needed to punish offenders to deter others.

(Mwebantu, Tuesday, 31st January, 2023)

PRECIOUS Kaunda, the six year old girl of Kawambwa who was found dead days after she was chased from class by her pre-school teacher has been put to rest.

Luapula province commanding officer Gloria Mulele has confirmed that Precious has been buried but investigations over her mysterious death have continued.

Ms Mulele said as part of the investigations the police have recorded a warn and caution statement from Esther Nanyangwe 35 a teacher a Mpota primary school who sent Precious away from class after started crying.

“The police have taken a warn and caution statement from the teacher and investigations in the matter have continued. The girl has been buried,”said Ms Mulele.

Three boys found the Precious’s body floating on the river as they went fishing.

Ms Mulele said Jealous  Musonda, Lupambo Katepa and Pathias Mubanga found Kaunda’s body floating in a decomposed state.

“Upon receiving the report the police rushed to the scene of the crime and found the body floating by the river side and managed to retrieve the body. The police conducted a search within the scene of the crime and found a school bag, underway, shoes, a pencil, a pair of socks and also struggling marks,” Ms Mulele said.

She said a physical  inspection  on Precious’s body was conducted where the police found that her lower and upper lips were removed, part of the nose and the private part were removed.

(Mwebantu, Tuesday, 31st January, 2023)

THREE suspects have been hospitalised in Kabwe after they were beaten by a mob who caught them red handed stealing two geysers from Mukalashi rural health centre.

Ironically, George Katungu 23, Give Nkausu 36 and Joseph Chali 40 are now nursing wounds from the same facility they tried to deprieve by stealing the geysers, which are the property of Ministry of Health.

Central province police commissioner David Chileshe who confirmed the incident to Mwebantu said it occurred yesterday between 01:00 hours and 03:30 hours at the health facility.

“The suspects were apprehended after being caught red handed. The report was made by a Neighbourhood watch member Brison Nkauso. Arrests and recovery was made and the suspects are admitted in hospital as they were badly beaten by members of the public after being caught in the act,” he said.

(Mwebantu, Monday, 30th January, 2023)