By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –

TWO Zambia Army soldiers from Mikango Barracks yesterday appeared in a Lusaka magistrates’ court for beating a police officer to death.
Nasson Kasokomona and Haggai Banda, both aged 25, are alleged to have killed Duke Mtonga for not disarming himself before approaching the soldiers.
They are facing one count of murder.
Mr Mtonga was led to the barracks by a suspect in an effort to recover stolen goods.
Kasokomona and Banda asked Mr Mtonga, who was in the company of another police officer Kahale Mwala, why they did not declare their guns when they entered the barrack.
This led to an argument which resulted in the police officers being brutally assaulted. Mr Mtonga is reported to have died a few days later.
When Kasokomona and Banda appeared before chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda, their case was allocated to Muzambilika Simwatachela for the explanation of the offence.
It is alleged that Kasokomona and Banda between September 13 and 22, 2014 in Lusaka whilst acting together, did murder Mr Mtonga.
After the offence was explained to the two soldiers, they told the court that they understood it.
Mr Simwatachela, however, informed Kasokomona and Banda that they were only appearing for the explanation of the charge because the offence they were charged with was triable by the High Court.
He told the accused persons that they would continue appearing before him every fortnight as they awaited instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have their case committed to the High Court.
A lawyer defending Kasokomona and Banda informed the court that should the instructions from the DPP delay, he would apply for a preliminary Inquest.