A BUSINESSMAN who gunned down his wife and suspected lover in what could be termed a ‘crime of passion’ has been sentenced to death by the Lusaka High Court.

Peter Siwale, 34, a businessman of Lusaka’s Meanwood area was found guilty of two counts of murder.

He shot dead his wife Charity Namukoko 30 and her alleged lover Andrew Chibeka 27 on July 28 2017.

It was alleged that Siwale after finding the two in a bush, drove them to his house where he shot
them.

High Court Judge Catharine Phiri ruled out Siwale’s defence of self defence and provocation from
the victims.

Judge Phiri in her judgement found that it was difficult for her to accept that the victims could have
posed a threat on Siwale to warrant him an armed retaliation on them.

“Earlier in his testimony, Siwale testified that he had been attacked by the deceased Andrew Chibeka, earlier in the evening and had managed to calm him down enough to bring him to his home to discuss the situation they had found themselves in.

“This situation does not present itself as one where a person would feel so threatened for his life as
to launch an armed retaliation. I therefore find that there was no situation that arose that would have required the accused person to use a firearm in order to protect himself from the victims,” Judge Phiri said.

He said his wife suddenly started insulting him, saying he was a useless man and that the 10 years they lived together were nothing.

Siwale said after a while, he suggested that the three go to his place and discuss the matter which
they did.

He said that he shot the two because he was provoked and thought his life was in danger when they ganged up on him and started beating him.

Siwale said he then called his neighbour and asked her to escort him to the poli