By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –

•SUSPECTED ritual killers aboard a police motor vehicle shortly after appearing before the Lusaka magistrate’s court yesterday. Picture by CHUSA SICHONE

TWO Zambia Army soldiers, a traditional healer and a Zambia Air Force (ZAF) civilian employee yesterday appeared in the Lusaka magistrate’s court for allegedly being involved in the spate of suspected ritual killings recently.
The four appeared in court for the explanation of charges linking them to the killing of seven people in suspected ritual acts.
The quartet that arrived at the Lusaka magistrate complex around 14:00 hours was facing seven counts of murder, which happened between March 16 and April 17, this year.
According to the Police, the ritual acts were committed in a similar manner by crushing the left side of the head, removing body parts and later dumping the deceased near their homes or a nearby drinking place and in all the incidents, a stone was found near the dead bodies.
The suspects from Lusaka were Lucky Siame, 47, a soldier, Lewis Chishimba Bwalya, 41, a witch doctor, and Christopher Kasapo, 44, an office assistant.
The fourth one was Elvis Nyanga, 42, a solider from Solwezi in North-Western Province.
They had at least a black outfit on them as they appeared in court.
Siame, Bwalya, Kasapo and Nyanga are in the first count alleged to have, between March 5 and March 6, this year, in Lusaka jointly and while acting together murdered Clever Changwe Mwape.
The four in count two, between March 16 and March 17, this year, in Lusaka allegedly murdered William Chela, while in the third count, they are alleged to have murdered Elias Phiri.
Siame, Bwalya, Kasapo and Nyanga are in the fourth count alleged to have, between March 16 and March 17, 2016, murdered Alex Zulu and further allegedly murdered Boris Muzumara on the same dates.
The four are in count six alleged to have, on April 7, 2016, murdered Amon Sichamba and between April 15 and April 16, this year, allegedly murdered Anthony Mwaba.
They appeared for the explanation of the charges as they await a certificate for summary of trial from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)’s office since murder is tried by the High Court.
As resident magistrate Greenwell Malumani attempted to explain the charges to the accused persons, the first suspect Siame put up his hand informing the court that his lawyer was out of town in Chipata.
“Your worship sir, my lawyer is not around, I was not aware that I would appear in court today, I was caught unaware. Even my family is not aware that I am appearing in court” the composed Siame said.
However, Mr Malumani told him that he was alive to the fact that he and his colleagues were entitled to legal representation as well as fair trial, but that a mere explanation of the charges had no effect even in the absence of his lawyers.
Mr Malumani adjourned the case to May 20, 2016 for another mention as the court waits for instructions from the DPP to have them committed to the High Court.
Anxious Lusaka residents attended the court sessions to ensure they had a glimpse of the suspected ritual killers.
Outside the courtroom, some women were heard shouting at the suspects demanding to know why they were removing ‘sets’ ( male private parts) from men, whom they claimed would have been their potential husbands.