It’s a heinous crime, says Mpombo

PEOPLE’S Democratic Party (PDP) president George Mpombo says his son has allegedly committed a heinous crime that cannot be tolerated.
And police in Ndola have warned and cautioned Mr Mpombo for alleged failure to secure a firearm.
Mr Mpombo said this yesterday at Ndola Central Police Station where he was summoned for questioning in connection with the firearm that his son allegedly used to shoot dead his 17-year-old lover, Ruth Phiri.
Mr Mpombo admitted that the firearm that his son allegedly used to murder Ruth was his, but that he stole it from the house.
He said his son’s action of allegedly murdering his lover cannot be tolerated by anyone and that the law should take its course.
“The boy is my son, but he has committed a heinous crime that cannot be tolerated. The gun he used is mine but I did not realise that my son had stolen it from the house. I had no idea that he was even being interrogated by the police on Tuesday over the missing of the girl.
“I cannot condone a crime that brings the sanctity of life into disrepute. All I can say is that the law must take its course because every human being deserves to live and if they die, they should be buried in a proper manner,” Mr Mpombo said.
Clad in a black suit, Mr Mpombo arrived at Ndola Central Police Station around 09:30 hours and the interview lasted about 2 hours.
And Copperbelt Province commissioner of police Charity Katanga said Mr Mpombo was warned and cautioned for alleged failure to secure a firearm but that investigations into the matter are still under way.
“Yes, Mr Mpombo was summoned to appear before police officers in Ndola for questioning over his failure to secure a firearm. But I can’t state whether he has been charged as we are still carrying out investigations into the matter,” Ms Katanga said.
It is alleged that Mr Mpombo’s son, on January 11, murdered Ruth after she informed him that she was pregnant by him.
The teenager is alleged to have subsequently beheaded Ruth and buried her body in a shallow grave, a kilometre from Chiwala Secondary School in Masaiti.
The teenager then went and dumped Ms Phiri’s head in a bush in Ndola’s second class area of town.
Meanwhile, Ruth’s uncle, Henry Milanzi, says the family is shocked by the gruesome murder of their daughter.
Mr Milanzi said it is unimaginable for someone to kill a fellow human being in such a manner.
He said in an interview yesterday that some parts of the body were missing as they had been eaten up by animals because the body was buried in a shallow grave.
“The family is so devastated at this death. The boy killed her all because she told him that she was carrying his pregnancy and because he wanted to conceal it, he had to kill her in such a way going to an extent of even cutting her head off using a hoe,” Mr Milanzi said.