THE Lusaka Magistrates’ Court last week faced a hitch in in prosecuting a teacher of Libala South Secondary school accused of defiling a pupil after the 14 year -old prosecutrix scheduled to testify in the matter disappeared from the Court premises.
Sources told Kalemba that the mother of the child has intentions of perverting the course of justice after she was allegedly bought off with a minibus by the accused.
In this matter, 37-year old Nalisa Wamunyima a teacher is facing three counts of defilement, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and attempts to commit unnatural offenses.
It is alleged that between July 1, 2023 and August 2 2023 Wamunyima unlawfully had carnal knowledge of a child under the age of 16.
The accused is on the same date alleged to have made attempts to have anal sex with the child which is against the order of nature.
It is also alleged that Wamunyima assaulted the child when she objected to rear door sex.
It is alleged that the teacher had gone out on a date with the girl and upon returning home late in the night, the child was sent away by its mother in a bid to discipline her.
The girl went to the teacher’s home and explained her predicament.
Instead of offering her shelter after causing her trouble with her parents, Wamunyima took advantage of the situation and violated the girl.
Taken to Court the teacher pleaded not guilty to the charges before magistrate Amy Masoja.
When the matter came up for trial, the child who was accompanied to court by her parents vanished from the premises before she could testify against her alleged defiler.
But according to sources the mother of the child has allegedly been pestering prosecutors to have the case withdrawn against the teacher on reasons that he was remorseful and compensated her with a mini bus.
The matter comes up on February 13 for trial.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba February 5, 2024.
