Woman in court for baby murder

Judgement in a case in which a Lusaka woman allegedly killed her neighbour’s child following a dispute with its mother has been set for December 23.
Lusaka High Court judge Mungeni Mulenga set the date after Esther Yamba, who is charged with murder, closed her defence.
Allegations in this matter are that Yamba on June 2, 2015 poured hot water on two-year-old Mirriam Nakamba following a dispute with the child’s mother, Lillian Mwila. Yamba, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Yamba told the judge that she and Mwila were struggling for a pot containing boiling water when the lid opened and the water poured on the child.
Nakamba suffered severe burns to the head, buttocks, hands, legs and chest and died two weeks after the incident.
During evidence-in-chief, Mwila said on the fateful day, she fought with the accused who told one of her aunts that she used to visit men with her daughter.
Mwila said Yamba’s lies caused her aunt to rebuke her, but that she explained that what she was told were lies.
She said she then decided to follow the accused to her house to query her about the lies she had told her aunt.
Later, the two went back to Mwila’s house where a fight ensued after Yamba slapped her on the face.
The court heard that the accused then went outside and upon her return, the child screamed that she had been burnt by Yamba using water which Mwila had put on a brazier for her bath.
The court further heard that when Mwila and others rushed outside, they found the accused standing with an empty pot.
Mwila told the court that they decided to rush the child to Chilenje Clinic where they were referred to the University Teaching Hospital, but she died two weeks later.
Yamba was susequently arrested and charged with murder.