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A series of retrieved WhatsApp messages have added a new dimension to the ongoing trial of John Nundwe, also known as Bishop John General, who is accused of raping a married member of his congregation.
Nundwe, the overseer of Miracle Impact Ministries International in Matero Township, is alleged to have exploited the woman’s desire to conceive a child.
During court proceedings, Jeff Sitali, a cybersecurity analyst from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), testified about forensic findings from Nundwe’s iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Sitali stated that the Zambia Police requested an analysis of the device to recover deleted messages, voice notes, and location data.
Using the forensic tool Magnet Axiom, Sitali retrieved 11 WhatsApp messages exchanged between Nundwe and the alleged victim, spanning from October 2022 to November 2023.
However, no deleted messages, voice notes, or location data for November 22, 2023—the day of the alleged incident—were found.
The court heard that among the retrieved messages was one sent by the victim on October 27, 2022, which read, “Daddy, what can I do for me to have a child?” Nundwe’s sole response, retrieved from December 15, 2022, stated, “Bwela tupange” (Come, let’s make [a child]).
It was further revealed that the victim made multiple unanswered video and audio call attempts to Nundwe on November 21 and 22, 2023.
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Under cross-examination, Sitali admitted he could not determine whether any messages had been deleted or if a disappearing message timer had been enabled.
He also noted that the communication appeared one-sided, with the victim persistently attempting to contact Nundwe, who remained mostly unresponsive.
When questioned by the defense, Sitali confirmed that his role was limited to data extraction and that he had no knowledge of the rape allegations.
He further stated that no additional devices or phone numbers were analyzed, leaving possible investigative gaps.
The case has been adjourned to February 26 and 28 for further hearings.
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