The Lusaka High Court has sentenced 26-year-old Nalukui Akafekwa to life imprisonment for the gruesome murder of 10-year-old Chikondi Banda, a grade five pupil.
High Court Judge Mwape Bowa delivered the verdict, stating that Akafekwa, 26, had not only taken an innocent life but had also betrayed the trust of a child who saw him as a neighbor and familiar face.
According to court findings, on the evening of March 16, 2023, Chikondi was last seen walking with Akafekwa near Emmasdale Police Camp.
Surveillance footage played in court showed them together between 20:00 and 20:26 hours, just before the tragic events unfolded.
In a cold and calculated act, Akafekwa struck the young boy on the head with a large stone, covered his head with a plastic bag, and abandoned his body in a maize field behind the police camp.
He had demanded a ransom of K12,000 before committing the murder.
The prosecution presented 18 witnesses, painting a clear picture of Akafekwa’s involvement.
IT specialist Sergeant Manivas Kalaba testified that he had retrieved surveillance footage showing Akafekwa and the victim together.
Further evidence linked Akafekwa to the crime, including a phone used to send the ransom message, which was traced back to him.
When arrested, he led police through the precise route he had taken with Chikondi and pointed out where he had disposed of the boy’s body.
Judge Bowa ruled that the evidence against Akafekwa was overwhelming and dismissed his defense claims of being coerced into a confession.
“The manner in which the crime was executed, covering the victim’s head with a plastic bag, demonstrates clear intent. The accused knew the child, played with him and used that trust to lure him away,” the judge stated.
The court found no extenuating circumstances to reduce the sentence, stating that the crime was premeditated and carried out with shocking brutality.
