Taxi driver was stabbed more than 20 times

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RELATIVES and friends sobbed and tears rained yesterday in Kabwe after the court heard that the taxi driver whose body was dumped in the bush was stabbed more than 20 times.

Family members and sympathisers wept during the court hearing as witnesses narrated how brutally a taxi driver was killed.

This is in a case in which Julius Nchinga, 32, of Kanyama in Lusaka and Aristo Lupiya 28 of Chibombo are jointly facing two counts of murder and aggravated robbery before Judge Elita Mwikisa.

 It is allegedly that whilst acting together the duo murdered Gift Tembo, 28, on December 29, 2012 and dumped his body at a farm in Chibombo.

The two are allegedly to have gotten away with a Toyota Corolla registration number ACJ 1735 that Mr Tembo was driving.

During the commencement of trial  yesterday, Scene of  crime  officer Peter  Chilembo  testified  how  the  two  accused  persons  separately  led the investigations  team to the incident scene  where  the  body, a knife  and  car  keys  were  recovered.

Mr Chilembo  said that  the accused  person  also  demonstrated  how  he  was  tied while physical examination on the deceased body showed that he was  stabbed  around  his neck, chest, abdominal, ribs and hands.

The officer also identified the two accused persons who were in court, a knife, car keys and motor vehicle and were submitted in court as part of his evidence.

And  Aaron Sichali a soldier told the court that  he  was  called  to identify the body of Mr Tembo  at Kabwe General hospital mortuary on  January2, 2013 and  saw that the body  was covered  with  wounds  and was  swollen.

Mr Sichali who is the brother to Mr Tembo, testified that he observed cuts on his neck and the whole body.

Another witness who is the owner  of the vehicle,  Zachariah  Chola  told the court that he was  shocked  after  the deceased failed to  go and  park  the  vehicle  forcing  him to inquire with Mrs Tembo and  the police station.

He told the court after reporting the case  to  police  he was  told  that it was too  early to file  a  report and was asked to go  back on  December31, 2012  but  on the same day of December30,  2012 he was called by  flying squad  to confirm  a motor vehicle while which had been recovered in Chibombo.

And  Judge Mwikisa  wondered  how the police  could  ask a  person who had taken a  report to  the station to go  back and come at another  time  when  issues  of missing  person were  supposed to be  handled with  all urgency it deserves.