A WOMAN of Makululu Township in Kabwe yesterday narrated how she rented out a room to a brother and sister who lived together as husband and wife.
The two were born from the same father but different mothers and had allegedly moved in together in a single room as a couple.
They allegedly had sex with each other and were seen taking baths together, while renting the single room.
This is in a case where Maureen Musonda and Aaron Musonda of Makululu Township are facing two counts of incest.
Particulars are that Aaron had sex with his sister Maureen between December 2013 and February 27, 2014 in Kabwe.
In count two, Maureen is accused of knowingly having sex with her brother during the same period.
Testifying before Kabwe principal resident magistrate John Mbuzi,
Nellie Musonda, a widow, aged 51, the former landlord of the two, said on February 5, 2014, Aaron approached her and asked to rent one of her rooms.
Ms Musonda told the court that she offered Aaron a room on condition that he should be married, and he responded that he had a wife who would join him soon.
She told the court that a day later Aaron and Maureen moved in together and shared the room and were also seen taking a bath together, while living as husband and wife.
Their father, Umbrella Musonda, 59, a peasant farmer of Mkushi District, told the court that he had 15 children and that Maureen and Aaron were both his children.
Mr Musonda said during cross-examination that the two did not grow up together and had different mothers although he insisted that he had introduced them to each other as siblings.
Meanwhile, another witness Margaret Ngoma, a Police inspector at Kasanda Malombe Police post, told the court that on February 28, 2014, Maureen denied having sex with her brother after an uncle, Charles Musonda, had reported them to police.
She told the court that after interviewing Maureen, she proceeded to interview Aaron who admitted to having committed incest with his sister because he did not know they were related at the time.
When asked by Mr Mbuzi whether or not he had willingly, without being forced, admitted to having had sex with Maureen, Aaron said he was forced to admit the offence by the Police officers who threatened to torture him.
Mr Mbuzi has since set October 9, 2014 for the proceedings of a trial within a trial, where witnesses would be brought to establish whether or not Aaron admitted to having carnal knowledge of his sister or not.
Times of Zambia
Syrita Esther Chewe
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