A WITNESS has told the Lusaka High Court that a soldier, Elvis Nyanga, who is accused of being involved in the killing of seven people in Lusaka in 2016, was on duty when the crimes were committed. Colonel Elias Zulu, 45, from the Zambia Army headquarters in Lusaka, told the court that Nyanga was working in Solwezi when the crimes were committed. This is in a matter in which two soldiers and two other people are facing seven counts of murder linked to a spate of what was dubbed as ritual killings which rocked George, Matero, Lilanda and Zingalume townships in Lusaka in March 2016.

The suspects are Lucky Siame, 46, a soldier of Lilanda Military Camp, Lewis Chishimba, a traditional healer of Lusaka West, Christopher Kasapo, an office assistant at Zambia Air Force (ZAF), and Elvis Nyanga, a soldier of Kandungu in Solwezi. They are jointly charged with seven counts of murder. The four are alleged to have murdered Clever Mwape, William Chela, Elias Phiri, Alex Zulu, Boris Muzumara, Amon Sichamba and Anthony Mwaba between March 5 and April 16, 2016.

All the murders were committed in a similar manner in which the victims’ heads were crushed on the left side, had their body parts removed and later dumped near their homes. When the matter came up for continued defence before High Court judge Florence Lengalenga, Col Zulu told the court that he is in charge of the administration and human resource branch in the Zambia Army headquarters. Col Zulu further presented to the court Nyanga’s records from Solwezi, where he was stationed.

“The record relating to Nyanga is accounted for by the region where he is stationed. On a daily basis, they produce a parade state,” he said. He said a parade state is a document which shows the number of personnel posted to a region, by rank and it also shows the number of those present and are absent for various reasons.

Col Zulu said according to documents at the army, Nyanga was never absent from his work station in Solwezi when the crimes were committed except for one day. He said on this day, Nyanga was absent from his station as he was performing other duties assigned to him. The matter was adjourned to January 29 next year for continued defence.