Suspected ritual case: State u-turns

THE State has changed its earlier decision to have a trial within a trial in a case involving suspected ritual murders to ascertain whether a suspect voluntarily led investigators to the crime scene and demonstrated how bodies of those they allegedly murdered were dumped.

A State witness, Mr Jimmy Phiri, was scheduled to be cross examined on whether one of the suspected ritual killers, Lucky Siame voluntarily led police officers to the place where the victims’ bodies were found.

This is in a case in which two Zambia Army soldiers, a ZAF office assistant and a traditional healer are accused of engaging in ritual killings that claimed seven people in Lusaka last year.

It is alleged that Lucky Siame, Lewis Chishimba Bwalya, Christopher Kasapo and Elvis Nyanga killed Clever Changwe, William Chella, Alex Zulu, Elias Phiri, Amon Sichamba, Anthony Mwamba and Boris Muzumara between March 5 and April 17, 2016.

This was when the matter came up before High Court Judge Florence Lengalenga.

Meanwhile, a crime scene investigation officer of Matero police station, detective inspector Felix Mwenda told the court that on April 7th 2016 he discovered four mutilated bodies in one area while the other were found on April 6th in George compound near George police post.

Inspector Mwenda said the corpses were discovered in Lilanda compound where one was dumped near a place called Musanide car park where the victim was allegedly murdered.

The other victim was found 300 meters away from the car park and the other two were found dumped 100 meters away.

Insp Mwenda said the victims were murdered in a similar pattern with their heads disfigured and ears, hearts and male organs removed.

He said big black stones and concrete blocks that were stained with blood were also discovered on all the crime scenes.

He said after collecting the bodies, he concluded that they were serial murder cases which were committed by a group of people.

Trial continues.