By REBECCA MUSHOTA and SAM PHIRI –

A MAN of Mwense District has raped a woman over K23 her husband owed him.
Meanwhile, police in Lusaka have arrested a 47-year-old man of Kabwe for defiling his 16-year-old ailing daughter while nursing her in the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
Luapula Province Police Chief Malcolm Mulenga said yesterday in an interview that a 24-year-old woman of Shingwe Village in Chief Kashiba’s area in Mwense was allegedly raped by Lufa Chilombo of Sichama Village of the same chiefdom on Tuesday around 19:00 hours.
Mr Mulenga said the woman was selling at the market near Nsakaluba Primary School when Chilombo called her to tell her that her husband owed him K23 and that she should pay.
“She told the suspect that she was not aware of the money her husband owed him and so she could not pay. The suspect then insisted and threatened to take her to the police so that police officers could compel her to pay,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said the woman agreed to go to the police station and explain herself to police officers rather than pay a debt she was not aware of.
After walking a distance and when they reached Nsakaluba Primary School football grounds, Chilombo demanded for sex as a way to settle the matter.
The victim refused but Chilombo allegedly dragged her to the ground, held her hands and threatened her with a knife.
Mr Mulenga said Chilombo allegedly threatened to stab the woman if she continued resisting and then he raped her after tearing her skirt and underwear.
After Chilombo bolted, the woman went to inform her husband and then reported to police.
Police officers have opened a docket of rape and are searching for Chilombo who is still at large.
In the Lusaka incident, police spokesperson Charity Chanda said the man took advantage of his daughter at UTH, where he was nursing her in one of the wards.
The girl, who had lost her speech for more than two months due to the illness, was an easy target for the suspect who took advantage of her speechless condition to defile her each time he took her to the bathroom.
The victim, who only regained her speech yesterday, revealed the ordeal to the nurses and that the latest incident happened around 02:30 hours yesterday.
The culprit was apprehended and will appear in court soon.