KATETE has been thrown into shock after the very man meant to represent government in that district has instead shamed both his office and family after allegedly defiling his own granddaughter.
65-year-old Raphael Matawa Phiri, the Katete District Commissioner, is behind bars after police pounced on him in Chipata yesterday.
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Phiri forced himself on his juvenile granddaughter in what he has classified as incest, a disgusted crime in the Zambian law.
Hamoonga strongly condemned the acting saying that police will not protect wrongdoers, no matter their position in society.
“He has been apprehended and is currently detained at Chipata Central Police Station. He will be charged and appear in court soon,” confirmed Hamoonga.
The arrest has sparked outrage in the district, with many expressing disbelief that a leader tasked with representing the Head of State could be accused of such a vile and shameful act against his own blood.
The alleged crime has now reduced Phiri from a respected District Commissioner to a disgraced grandfather waiting for a date in court.
By George Musonda
Kalemba August 24, 2025
