By PASSY HAACHIZO –
A TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD man of Chongwe District in Lusaka Province has appeared in the Kabwe High Court for allegedly killing his 105-year-old grandmother of Chisamba after raping her in 2015.
Lackson Simumba of Mazila Village appeared before High Court Judge Charles Zulu yesterday where he was accused of raping his great grandmother who was found dead in her house in Chisamba.
Simumba denied the charge and told the court that he was still in shock at how he could be accused of killing his grandmother.
This is in a matter where Simumba is facing one count of murder.
It was alleged that on June 27, 2015 Simumba raped his great grandmother in the night and killed her to conceal the offence.
One of the State witnesses Martin Gabriel Moyo, 39, a village secretary of Lupiya area in Chisamba explained that the accused had admitted having killed the old woman immediately after the incident
before he decided to change plea.
“When we questioned him with the neighbourhood watch, Lackson admitted to have killed the old woman and asked for forgiveness,” Mr Moyo said.
Chisamba Police investigations officer Sikana Mupeta, 29 said that after the police carried out investigations it was established that old woman had died due to excessive bleeding..
“Investigations were carried out and we found the body of the deceased lying on the ground facing upward wearing a pink skirt stained with blood at her grass thatched house,” Mr Mupeta said.
During cross examination by state advocate Mubanga Kalimamukwento, Simumba said he had earlier admitted to have committed the offence immediately it happened for fear of being tortured.
Simumba, who is being represented by legal aid counsel Japhet Zulu, accused police officers of torturing him while he was in their custody.
He also said he and his uncle had earlier been accused of killing the old woman on the mere fact that they were the only men around when the incident happened before he was singled out to be responsible.
“The neighbourhood officers searched my private parts and confessed that I was innocent of the crime but said I had to be arrested or risked being killed by the unruly family members,” he said.
Mr Justice Zulu set the first week of March for ruling.