A LUSAKA father, Chalwe Musonda, has shared his harrowing experience of how his two children, aged two and three, were allegedly murdered by neighbours.
During a live interview with Simon Mwewa Lane TV, Musonda who got the sympathy of online viewers identified the suspects as Perfect Shankalala and Mwangala Mashiwani, along with other accomplices.
Musonda recounted that his children were abducted while playing outside his house in Six Miles around 16:00 hours on the day of the incident in May, two years ago.
He described how they were held for two days before being killed.
“They abducted my children at their premises for two days. On the third day, they cut their private parts and tongue and failed to dispose of the bodies,” Musonda stated.
Upon hearing his children screaming from the neighbours’ home, Musonda said he contacted the police, expecting swift action.
However, he faced obstacles as the police indicated they could not search the house without a warrant.
“I reported to the police that my children were crying in that house. The response I got from Kabangwe police was that we have no right to search someone’s home. They said they had no search warrant,” Musonda said.
He later received a call informing him that his children had been found in a septic tank at the neighbours’ residence.
According to Musonda, the initial police report suggested that the children had drowned, but an autopsy revealed otherwise.
It is reported that the children had suffered head injuries, broken skulls, and mutilation, including the removal of their private parts and tongues.
“They hit them on their heads. They had no water in their throats; they were hit on their heads,” Musonda lamented.
When asked why he didn’t break into the house that after hearing the voices of his children screaming from the suspects’ house, Musonda said he was unsure of which house it was because there were houses in between the suspects’ house where the sound was coming from.
Musonda however expressed frustration with the police response, stating that no arrests had been made and that he felt dismissed by the authorities.
He recounted how the police arrived quickly after the children were found and immediately reported drowning as the cause of death.
“There was no arrest. Even now, when I walk into the police station, they treat me like I’m troubling them. What shocked me is how the police came within five minutes after being informed that the children had been found in a septic tank, how they knew the place I don’t know, and they quickly reported that the children had drowned,” Musonda said.
Despite his efforts, including writing letters to various offices, Musonda reported no progress in the case.
He vowed to continue seeking justice for his children, stating that if the law does not take its course, he is willing to take any bullet.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 12, 2024
