Aggravated robbery, brutal taxi driver murder case update

THE Kitwe High Court has put three men on their defence after they were found with a case to answer for aggravated robbery and brutal murder of a taxi driver whose body was later dumped at a cemetery.
This is in a case in which Augustine Mbuzakozi, 40, a Congolese, is jointly charged with Francis Kayombo and Kelvin Mwansa for the murder of Justice Kaseloki, a taxi driver, and theft of a vehicle they grabbed from him.
The trio was put on defence after being found with a case to answer for the murder and aggravated robbery.

In the first count, Mbuzakozi of House Number 146 Kawama Township, with Kayombo and Mwansa were charged with aggravated robbery.
It is alleged that the trio on July 2, 2012 in Kitwe, while armed with a knife, hammer and screw driver, stole a Toyota Spacio registration number ACR 1556 worth K35,000, the property of Betty Haachendela.
In the second count, it is alleged that the accused persons murdered Mr Kaseloki and dumped his body at the cemetery along Kitwe -Chingola road.
In defending himself, Mbuzakozi told the court that on the material day he received a call from one of the co-accused who told him that he was wanted by some people at the roadside near his residential area.
Mbuzakozi, who is a traditional doctor, said when he went to the roadside, he found two people with a car which they were selling.
The court heard that, the two men explained to Mbuzakozi that the car was owned by their Aunt who had passed on in Lusaka.
Mbuzakozi explained in court that the two men told him they were selling the car so that they could share the money with other relatives.
It was then that Mbuzakozi told the two men that he did not have the money to buy the vehicle but that he was ready to find for them a buyer who apparently was sourced and managed to pay US$1600 as a down payment.
Trial continues.

Times of Zambia