Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Police in Chisamba district have arrested a 30-year-old sales lady at Fringila Butchery for the alleged murder of her eight-year-old step daughter whom she later buried four meters from the entrance of her house.
Both Central Province Police Commissioner Lombe Kamukoshi and Police Spokesperson Esther Kayongo have confirmed the incident and have named the suspect as Charity Banda.
Banda is further alleged to have poured hot water on her husband, a truck driver, for insisting on taking her to the police in connection to his missing child.
M s Kamukoshi says the suspect led police to the scene of the crime where the body was exhumed and postmortem was conducted.
She says the suspect burnt the body of Musola Chansa who was killed on 7th December, 2016 before putting in a sack and later buried it in a rubbish pit about four meters from the entrance of her house on which she even planted sweet potato leaves (kalembula) on top.
Ms Kamukoshi says the exhumed bones revealed a broken skull.
She adds that the remains have been handed over to the deceased’s relatives who have carried them to Lusaka in an Ukwa bag.
Meanwhile Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo says Banda has admitted killing her step daughter.
She says the accused was initially picked up for pouring hot water on her husband identified as Kennedy Chola Chansa aged 35, a welder in Mansa, whilst he was asleep and he is admitted to UTH.
Ms Katongo says it all started when the husband came to check on the family and inquired about his daughter, whom he had not seen since December, 2016.
She says the accused person who was a step mother to the girl claimed to have taken the girl to a boarding school in Mwachisompola area, and that whenever the husband visited, she pretended the girl was in school.
Ms Katongo says the accused only revealed after she was apprehended that she killed her step daughter by hitting her head against the wall on 7th December, 2016 at about 17:30 hours.
She states that the accused who is detained in Police custody has been charged with murder and will soon be slapped with another charge after police officers establish the gravity of injuries suffered by the husband.