By 
The father of a man charged with the murder of 10-year-old, Chikondi Banda, delivered an emotional testimony against his son on Tuesday at the opening trial before the Lusaka High Court.
William Akafekwa told the Court that his son, Nalukui Akafekwa, said “I am sorry Daddy”.
Nalukui, a 24-year-old of Garden Compound, is accused of killing Chikondi and dumping the body in a maize field in Emmasdale area on March 17, 2023.
Read more: 26-year-old man jailed 40 years for defiling minor
The accused listened attentively as his father testified before Judge Mwape Bowa.
William narrated that on March 17, 2023, around 17: 00 hours after returning from work, he asked Nalukui to prepare the vegetables he had bought.
The accused, he said, responded, that he was helping his friend, Jackson to mount a tent as there was a funeral at his place.
He said he gave Nalukui the go ahead but warned him to return home early the next day.
William said Nalukui never came back home and did not pick up calls.
“My wife was back by that time she tried to call him but he didn’t pick up. On Sunday whilst coming from work I saw a crowd gather near a maize field and people were saying a corpse had been dumped there.
“When I checked on the corpse, I noticed it was Chikondi Banda who had gone missing on Thursday,” he said.
On March 23, William said he was called to present himself at Emmasdale Police where he was told that Nalukui was a suspect in the murder of Chikondi.
He said he was locked up in cells and told by police officers that he would only be released after his son was arrested.
At around 23:00 hours, he was informed that the son had been arrested.
“After he was arrested, they brought him to me and I asked him to tell me the truth if he was the one who killed Chikondi and he just said ‘I am sorry Daddy’. I don’t know what he meant by those words,” he said.
William spent two nights in Police cells.
Earlier, a video footage from the surveillance cameras installed in the streets of Lusaka, showed the accused and the victim, walking together near Emmasdale Police camp on March 16, between 20:00 hours and 20:26 hours.
This is according to a testimony by IT specialist, Sergeant Manivas Kalaba of Zambia Police Service, radio workshop attached to the National Command Center.
“I downloaded the video footage and saved it on a flash. Chikondi and the accused were seen coming from the Northern direction to the Southern direction near Emmasdale police camp area.
“It was on March 16 during 20:00 to 20:26 near Sheki-Sheki bus stop. In the video, the accused is carrying a backpack,” he said.
Chikondi’s teacher, Sylvia Mwange of Naluma Academy, described the deceased as an intelligent and quiet boy.
Trial continues on next October 16, 2023.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments