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Snake Friend Convicted Of Murder, Awaits Sentence
CHIPATA High Court has convicted a 39-year-old Petauke fisherman of murder for causing the death of a colleague using a puff adder, a deadly African viper.
The puff adder, also known as Bitis arietans, is a spotted and striped brown venomous species of viper with a wide distribution throughout Africa, and is responsible for many fatal snake bites on the continent.
Lusaka-based High Court judge Nigel Mutuna, sitting in Chipata, convicted Emmanuel Phiri yesterday after putting him on his defence last Thursday.
Phiri was charged with murder. He was found to have killed Spider Phiri in Petauke using the snake.
Last week, Phiri concluded his defence and told the court that on March 7, 2015 he met Spider in Petauke at a house of a woman where the two engaged in a competition to show which one of them had more powerful ‘spirits’.
Phiri said to prove his supernatural superiority over Spider, he went home and picked his puff adder, named as ‘Londoloni’, which he put in a striped plastic bag and went back to the house where Spider was waiting for him.
He said when he arrived at the house he warned Spider not to touch the plastic bag because there was a snake, but the latter bragged that nothing would happen to him because his spirits were stronger and would protect him from the reptile.
Phiri said a ‘tug-of-war’ ensued between the two with Spider pulling the head of the snake and Phiri its tail.
He said Spider managed to cut off the head of the snake, which he put on fire after it died.
“I told him that the way the snake had died was the same way he would die. I went home and later heard that Spider was sick. His body became swollen,” Phiri said.
He said he was later informed that Spider was critically ill and he took him to a place where he tried to tattoo him in a bid to resuscitate him but failed.
Phiri said Spider was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Phiri was arrested for using the puff adder snake as a weapon to murder Spider and was put on his defence last week.
But Mr Justice Mutuna convicted Phiri and reserved judgment to November 16, 2016.
Posted by
max_millian
November 10, 2015 at 7:55 am
Just does not make sense. how did he actually die? what does the medical report say. what is the cause of death according to death certificate?
Bana Mpundu
November 10, 2015 at 9:20 am
I agree with you…the whole thing does not make sense, its not like the snake bit him. It will be difficult to prove
Lamba boy
November 10, 2015 at 8:33 am
useless competition! others are competing abt farms en u angels of darkness are bagging abt ur useless spirits, even names spider i was meant to believe this was a nick name!
Kamata
November 10, 2015 at 9:00 am
Confusing
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 10, 2015 at 9:12 am
This is the confusion of this world of sangomas which lungu has endorsed by inviting sangomas at state house in the past. People are resorting to all sorts due to hardship under pf. When I was in Zambia last month I met a fool that promised me riches if I drank my own urine and walked naked around my house. Funny but alot fall for this under pf
Lamba boy
November 10, 2015 at 9:49 am
@ NEZ u mean u went back to balotse from Zambia?
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 10, 2015 at 10:02 am
I travelled to Europe visiting various countries and networking with our partners. I then travelled to Maldives on holiday with my family. It is vital that we remain open and honest with our movements. Not what we saw under satas pf
kabolala
November 10, 2015 at 9:58 am
Only fools see pf in everythig that happens under the sun.
chibombo
November 10, 2015 at 10:43 am
The ruling government is held responsible for everything that happens in their tenure.I humbly request you to become acquainted with the cases that are handled at the Hague(ICC)
critical thinking Zambian
November 10, 2015 at 10:52 am
As a leader you are held responsible for everything even things you are not responsible for, hence the name leader
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 10, 2015 at 10:49 am
Big men playing with their “snakes” trying to prove to the other who has a bigger “snake”. Boys will be boys kikikikiki ?
Mayo Mayo
November 10, 2015 at 11:06 am
Iwe New Educated Zambia ulishilu anything ati Lungu what has lungu got to do with this?
New Educated Zambia©❤√
November 10, 2015 at 12:59 pm
please read my comments and understand them. Because if you did then you wouldnt be asking me such a foolish question. read before rushing to type
Kelvin
November 10, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Let de law take its course.
Given Miyanda hanongo
November 10, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Just reading comments
IF NOT
November 10, 2015 at 2:57 pm
spider cut the head of a puff adder. What did spider use to cut off the snake’s head? Did he bit the snake or what?
Mirriam
November 10, 2015 at 4:28 pm
The judge is also superstitious. How does he judge the accused based on what is in the story because the two were scrambling for the viper until its head was cut off by the deceased which angered the owner who threatened the friend that he would die just as he killed his snake of which he later got sick and died as per threat. So now how does the judge come in ? What kind of offense is he going to give the accused?
mwana bulu muchende
November 10, 2015 at 8:30 pm
Very funny indeed, but still can’t make sense of this. This guy pulls the snake’s head till it cuts. Did he eat the snake’s head or the snake bit him before it lost its head or after losing its head the snake said “singafe neka” and hammered the guy.these chaps should have known better not to put the devil to test, he is actually laughing at them.
Me
November 11, 2015 at 2:55 am
The judgement will take too long a time, November 2016?
kakolwe
November 11, 2015 at 9:37 am
Was the woman the prize?
Kumawa!
lover boy
November 11, 2015 at 11:17 am
bush shit…
observer
November 11, 2015 at 11:50 am
Haaaa and the whole episode happened in Dolar $illiya’constituency.ai’nt she giving her people surving skills or let alone farming shaba (groundnuts.)
Cupid
November 11, 2015 at 2:33 pm
But kwena bafikala bambi zoona. Putting ulusato pa test
Baloteli Senior
November 12, 2015 at 6:07 am
Actually it’s spider who should be charged for killing government trophy with his hands.
kaziya
November 12, 2015 at 5:34 pm
napapa