Woman narrates teen’s rescue from Tokota boys

By NATION REPORTER A WOMAN of Chimwemwe Township told the Kitwe High Court that a scared and restless boy walked up to her and asked her where he was.

She told Mr Justice Timothy Katenekwa that the boy appeared traumatised and seemed not to know where he was.

Brenda Mutaluka, 2, was testifying in a case involving 19 Tokota boys who are on trial for unlawful wounding, kidnapping and forcing obnoxious or consumption of faeces on a 1 -year-old boy.

The Tokota boys are alleged to have committed the offences on April 0, this year.

They are alleged to have severely beaten the boy with sticks and stoned him before forcing him to defecate on a sack. They later forced him to eat his excreta.

Ms Mutaluka narrated that she was in Mindolo North on the fateful day with her friends praying in the bush in the afternoon when a terrified boy approached them asked where he was.

Mr Mutaluka said the boy looked scared and restless which prompted her to get interested in what had happened to him.

She inTuired what had happened and the boy said he was only alive by the grace of God as he was severely beaten by a group of boys.

The boy, she said, had a swollen hand and walked unsteadily.

She said the boy then asked if he could use her phone to call his father and she immediately called the number and gave the phone to the boy. He told his father to call back.

Ms Mutaluka said after about three minutes, the father called asking if she could assist the boy with transport money and she then gave him K10.

She and her colleagues escorted the boy up to Nakadoli market in Chimwemwe Township where he jumped on a bus and went home.

And a police officer Detective Mukololo Mangelele in his testimony said a report of assault was made at Mulenga police post about a boy who was abducted and taken to the bush where he was severely beaten.

He said the boy was beaten with sticks and stones and that he sustained a swollen body.

Mr Mangelele said the boy said he was able to identify one of the assailants from Mulenga Township by the name of Limbikani Phiri. The officer said on May 2, this year the boy with the help of his family managed to apprehend Phiri and handed him over to Mulenga police post

Mr Mangelele said the next day Phiri led the officers to Total service station in town where two boys, Moses Chilambe and Abraham Sikazwe were apprehended.

On May 5 this year, Phiri and the complainant led the officers to the scene of crime behind Mindola Shaft.

At the scene of crime, Mr Mangelele said they found stones and a big stick which the complainant identified as the one which was used in his beating.

The accused are Limbikani Phiri 19, Musonda Semba, David Katete 20, Lucky Mwamba 20, Wisdom Chilekwa 20, Bill Mulenga 20, Moses Chilambe 20, Boniface Lubansa 21, Wesley Chilambo 20, Richard Siame 20 and Lazarus Zulu 21.

The rest are Kingsley Ng'ona 2 , Abraham Sikazwe 19, Teddy Chilufya 20, Bernard Chirwa 25, Sydney Kasasa 20, Doctor Simwemba , Miles Mumba 28 and Trust Sinkala 19.

Trial continues today.