Two siblings of Lusaka who got married and now have two children have been found with a case to answer in a matter they are charged with incest. This is a case involving Alivad Mumba, a 36-year-old painter. Between 2014 and October 6 last year, Mumba had carnal knowledge of Miriam Hara, 22, while knowing that she was his sister. In the second count, Hara is a charged with offences against morality.

It is alleged that during the same period, Hara had carnal knowledge of Mumba despite knowing that he was her brother. During trial yesterday, the mother of the suspects narrated how she learnt that her daughter and son were arrested for committing incest. Enala Mwanza, a 57-year-old farmer of Petauke, told Lusaka magistrate Faides Hamaundu that Mumba and Hara are among her eight children.

“The two [Mumba and Hara] are my children but from different fathers,” Ms Mwanza said. She said Mumba left the village in Petauke in 1997 to live with his aunt in Lusaka while Hara left the place in 2012. “Ever since my children left, I only saw them the time they were apprehended by police and charged with incest,” Ms Mwanza said. Mumba did not cross-examine his mother’s evidence when given chance to do so.

And when asked by Hara if she [Ms Mwanza] ever informed her that she had a brother by the name of Mumba, the woman said she did not. After listening to the evidence, magistrate Hamaundu found Hara and Mumba with a case to answer and put them on their defence. In his defence, Mumba claimed that he never knew that Hara was his sister. He said the two met at a hospital in Chongwe. “She [Hara] asked for some water and I gave her. That is how we started communicating and started living together,” Mumba, who was at the time on separation with his wife, said. Mumba has lived with Hara for eight years. The court adjourned the case to May 21.

Meanwhile, a State witness has told the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court that there was a query on suspended magistrate Maggie Tantameni’s employment file. Judiciary deputy human resource director Patrick Malama said his supervisor inquired into Tantameni’s employment file after observing that it was blank. When asked by defence lawyers why there was a query, Mr Malama said it could have been in relation to Tantameni’s appointment procedure or credentials. This is in a case Tantameni is accused of abusing the authority of her office and theft of 34 kilogrammes of ephedrine