THE case of the tortured son of a Lusaka-based soldier took a spooky turn yesterday as a police officer took the stand and testified that the accused had blamed all the abuse of the four-year old on a ghost.
Not just any other ghost, but the ghost of the boy’s late mother.
The arresting officer told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that under warn and caution statement Longwe Ngosa admitted to abusing her four-year old step son whenever she was possessed by his late mother’s spirit.
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Barbara Mutelo said Ngosa indicated that the child would be tortured by his mother’s ghost and she took responsibility for his abuse because he was under her care.
In this matter Ngosa 29, of MC2A 78 Apollo military camp in Lusaka west is charged with assault on a child.
It is alleged that the accused between April 1, 2023 and July 31, 2023 repeatedly assaulted a minor under the age of 16.
Testifying before magistrate Mutinta Mwenya, constable Mutelo of matero police station said on August 6, 2023 around 18: 00 hours whilst she was resting at her home, she was informed by a community service coordinator inspector Kumoyo that there was a child at the police station who needed medical attention for the injuries inflicted on him by his step mother.
She said she went to the police station and got the child as a medical report form was already issued by police officers.
“Since it was late, I went with the child to my house. I interviewed the child. I observed injuries on the face and the body. When I asked the child who was responsible for the injuries the child informed me to say it was his mommy,” Mutelo narrated.
She said when she inquired about the weapon that was used to inflict the injuries the boy said his bonus mum used a broom.
The officer said the child had a cut on his finger and when she asked what happened he disclosed that his step mum cut it with a knife.
“The following day on a Monday I took the child to the hospital and medication was prescribed. I was told there was need for an x-ray. From the hospital I decided to take the child to the social welfare who later took the child to a safe home,” Mutelo said.
“I was later given a docket of the same child ***** aged four years old for assault on on a child. I was told there was a video that was recorded by the teacher Naomi Chisola. I viewed the video the child explained what happened to him and who caused the injuries on his body.”
She said she further interviewed the teacher who exposed the child’s maltreatment and she explained that she recorded the video as evidence of the abuse as she was concerned that the child always had injuries on different spots whenever he reported for school.
“Under warn and caution Ngosa said she did not do it (assault the child) but the biological mother who passed away few years ago. She is the one who has been inflicting injuries on the child,” said Mutelo.
“When I asked whom she reported to, she said she never reported anywhere. She gave me a voluntary answer admitting the charge saying since they were living the three of them she had no option but to admit the charge.”
At this point Ngosa’s lawyer requested for an adjournment to seek further instructions from his client.
Earlier the child’s father Justin Bwalya Zambia a soldier under the engineering and construction department in the Zambia army said between June and August, this year, he was in Zambezi district on national duty for the construction of bridges under the Road Development Agency and he left his son under the care of his step mum.
He said when he got a chance to communicate with his wife via a video call he noticed his son had a cut on his cheek and was bandaged on his finger.
Bwalya said upon inquiring from his wife about his son’s injuries Ngosa claimed that the boy climbed on the burglar bars and crash landed on a mug cup.
He said on different occasions Ngosa told him that his son was jumpy and always injured himself and that he was beaten by his classmates at school.
“I asked what she did about it and she told me that she had recorded a video of my son complaining about a teacher. I asked if my son is beaten at school, but she would do nothing. I asked her to report the case to the police. I do not know whether the issue was reported to school,” Bwalya said.
“I then asked her to send me the video of my son complaining about being beaten at school. The video was sent to me. When schools closed on August 4, 2023, on August 5, I was still in Zambezi. Around 13:00hours, I got various text messages on my phone. The first text I saw was from my wife saying; “I am being arrested and that I have been abusing *****”. I then asked my wife whom arrested her.. She told me it was military police, my fellow workmates.”
During cross examination by Chipompela Bwalya was asked if he believes in ghosts and he responded in the affirmative.
And Bridget Chimfwembe who is the opposite neighbor of the couple said when the survivor was being interviewed about his abuse by provosts who arrested Ngosa, she recorded a video which depicts Ngosa’s child confirming that the four-year old would get a beating from his mother for refusing to eat, defecating and urinated on himself.
The child confirmed that a hose pipe was used to inflict pain on the survivor.
Trial continues on November 29, 2023.
By
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Mwaka
Ndawa
Kalemba November 8, 2023
