A 19-YEAR-OLD GIRLFRIEND of Family Health Executive Director Benny Zulu, 51 was shot twice whilst she was already dead, a senior police officer has told the Lusaka High Court.
In this case, Natasha Mkandawire’s young lifeless body was discovered dumped in Ngwerere area near the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on 9 July, 2019 by passersby who later alerted police.
However, in his testimony, Zulu, 51 who resides on his farm in Ngwerere agreed that despite being married, he was indeed Natasha’s boyfriend but denied killing her.
Zulu said that on the material day, he was with his girlfriend Natasha of Ngwerere Township enjoying a conversation in his motor vehicle near a church.
However, according to Zulu, their bliss was cut short when a stranger approached their vehicle and began to violently knock on the window demanding to know what Natasha was doing in the vehicle.
Zulu sad he refused to answer the questions demanding to know who the man confronting him was but in the ensuing altercation, the stranger fired into the vehicle hitting Natasha in the neck and then running away.
Zulu said he got confused after the incident and started driving aimlessly with Natasha’s corpse until he reached a dead end in Mungule area where he dumped the body.
He added that he later drove home and where he removed and burnt his blood-soaked shirt, and, two days later, reported himself to police.
However, in his testimony, Assistant Superintendent Henry Mulungishe of Police Force Headquarters rubbished Zulu’s claims saying it was an afterthought.
Officer Mulungishe said that by his assessment Natasha was already dead by the time she was shot and that when he searched Zulu’s house, he discovered a pistol number YN5634 of similar caliber as the one used to shoot Natasha.
However, Officer Mulungishe’s statement was at variance with the expert testimony by State Pathologist Luchenga Muchelenga’anga that he found copper residue on a bullet hole on Natasha’s neck and concluded that she was killed by a gunshot.
With the only witness to the murder, Natasha, dead and buried, the public has been left puzzled on who is telling the truth about what happened to Natasha; is it Zulu, the Police Officer or the Pathologist?
Kalemba June 10, 2021
It’s horrifying to think about the disregard for human life that such actions demonstrate. Your article not only highlights the tragedy of Natasha’s death but also calls into question the actions of those sworn to protect and serve.