THE saga in which a 48-year-old woman died in the holy warm arms and secrecy of a Catholic priest’s house in Lusaka’s Kaunda Square today played out in the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court sitting as Coroner.

In this matter, the court is inquiring into how Monica Mutale died in the private quarters of the Father Ringford Mwelwa on April 8, 2020.

However, contrary to public assertions that the celibate priest’s holy energy and divine sweetness somehow caused the deceased to breathe her last, Pathologist Dr Lunchenga Muchelenganga told the court that all he could determine that Monica died from high BP.

Further, Dr Muchelenganga explained that despite Monica having fibroids and a minor bacteria infection on her liver, these could not have caused her death.

In his sermon to the court, Fr. Mwelwa also said that there is no law which stops ladies visiting his quarters and some overstay their welcome as was the case with deceased who died in the ungodly hours.

Meanwhile, the court is yet to deliver judgement on whether Monica’s spike in BP was divine or due to the pleasures of the flesh in the priest’s bedroom.

Father Mwelwa said him and Monica had agreed on lunch on April 8, 2020 but when he called her at 16:00 on the material day to find out if she was going to make it for their date, she informed him the the car was with her brother.

The Man of God explained that he then offered to pick her up which he did around 19:00 hours from her house.

Father Mwelwa narrated that on their way to his residence in Kaunda square, Monica proposed that she would only have some tea and when they got home 30 minutes later he prepared her some tea which she consumed with marie biscuits.

“During our conversation she joked that she was feeling hot she requested that the windows be opened she asked for water and I got some from the fridge which she poured on her body,” said the clergyman.

“I told my assistant in the next room that our visitor was not feeling well and he helped me take her to Levy Mwanawasa general hospital. The doctors checked on her and later told me that they could not conduct a cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to the water in her lungs.”

During cross examination prosecutor Manda asked father Mwelwa about his intent to invite a female member for dinner to which he explained that priests are not barred from inviting members to have dinner at their house and that visitors can outstay their welcome.

“It’s not prohibited to invite a member to have dinner at the priests house or a visitor who stays for weeks or a month. It is not prohibited for a priest to have any visitor at their residence, gender is not a factor women are allowed to visit and there is no visitation period,” said the cleric.

Corona Judy Chiyaika has set February 28,2022 for verdict.

Kalemba