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A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD school boy in Kabwe accused of sexually assaulting and brutally murdering a 32-year-old woman while acting with another person has denied charges against him and insinuations that he had an affair with her.
The court further heard that the accused’s mother had expressed concern over the purported relationship with the deceased.
This is in a case in which the offenders aged 16 and 18, both in Grade 9 are jointly facing a murder charge. They are alleged to have murdered Annie Chabala on November 28, 2012.
During the trial, the State called seven witnesses among them Richard Phiri who testified before Kabwe High Court Judge Elita Mwikisa that on the fateful night, he saw the deceased who looked drunk being dragged out of the bar by the two accused persons.
Another witness, Aretha Mafinga of Mine area in Kabwe told Justice Mwikisa that mother to the 16-year-old boy told her to tell the deceased who was her friend to stop enticing her son because he was too young.
And Jeff Mumba said he had heard about the love affair between the 16-year-old boy and the deceased but was shocked to be implicated in the murder.
Arresting officer, Albert Chama said he received a docket to investigate the case of a woman’s body found without underwear, with a deep cut on her stomach. A knife is said to have been used in the act.
Mr Chama told Judge Mwikisa that it took over a month to apprehend the second accused person and later jointly arrested them for murder.
The body of the deceased was found 250 meters from the bar.
Ms Justice Mwikisa later found the two juvenile offenders with a case to answer and put them on their defence.
The two maintained their innocence and denied dragging the deceased out of the bar but said she was the one who was pulling them as she wanted to be escorted to mine market.
In their defence, the juveniles insisted that though they came in physical contact with the deceased and were the last to see her, they did not kill her.
The two said they went to the bar to play pool and watch football.
And during cross examination by the State who asked why the offenders where referring to the deceased with familiarity, the accused said it was a mistake because she was older than them.
