THE family of Enock Kasengele, who allegedly suffered torture while in unlawful custody, has filed a lawsuit against Maria Zaloumis and Nathaniel Barthram, seeking K21,908,201 in damages.
According to court filings, Kasengele was unlawfully detained on August 16, 2025, where he was reportedly subjected to severe beatings and degrading treatment while restrained with ropes.
Despite his repeated pleas for mercy, the young man continued to endure physical abuse until he tragically died the following day.
A postmortem report dated August 20, 2025 confirmed that Kasengele succumbed to a brain contusion, which the family lawyers said was directly caused by the violent acts of the accused.
Representing the family, Patrick Chulu Legal Practitioners alleged that a video circulating on social media shows Kasengele being interrogated and assaulted while visibly in pain.
The legal team said the video had caused profound mental anguish to the deceased’s mother, who has reportedly sought professional therapy to cope with the trauma.
“Our client has suffered profound mental anguish and emotional distress, including tremors, as a direct result of viewing the video of her son’s torture,” they stated.
The lawsuit detailed claims for damages under several categories which include K5 million for negligence causing death, K10 million for dependency under the Fatal Accidents Act, K3 million for loss of expectation of life, K250,000 for funeral expenses, and K3,658,201 for mental anguish and trauma bringing the total claim to K21,908,201.
Meanwhile, the celebrated farmer and her Nigerian husband remain in custody.
By George Musonda
Kalemba September 28, 2025
