The Lusaka High Court has sentenced Charles Kavindele Muwema to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of murdering taxi driver Zacharia Jere and stealing his vehicle.
High Court Judge Mwape Bowa handed down the sentence after concluding that Muwema committed both aggravated robbery and murder under the Penal Code of Zambia.
Muwema was charged with two counts: aggravated robbery under Section 294(1) and murder under Section 200 of the Penal Code, Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
The prosecution alleged that on July 24, 2018, in Mumbwa District, Muwema, acting with unknown accomplices, robbed Jere of a Toyota Sprinter valued at K35,000 and used violence to commit the crime.
The prosecution stated that Muwema and his accomplices murdered Jere on the same day in Mumbwa. During the trial, Muwema pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The State called 15 witnesses to support its case.
Among them was Annania Mahema, Jere’s father, who testified that his son, a taxi driver, had been booked for a trip from Lusaka to Mumbwa on July 24, 2018, but never returned.
Mahema said that after receiving a phone call from a relative about Jere’s disappearance, he traveled to Lusaka and later to Mumbwa to investigate. He reported the matter to the police, and an investigation was launched.
During the investigation, police traced Jere’s mobile phone to Kabompo, where it was in the possession of Muwema’s mother, Juliet Musumba.
She initially denied knowled of the vehicle but later led officers to a location where it was recovered.
The vehicle was found in the possession of a man who claimed Muwema had used it as collateral for a loan. A pastor who allegedly witnessed the loan transaction was also questioned.
Further evidence revealed that Jere’s driver’s license was discovered inside the recovered vehicle, contradicting Muwema’s claim that he had legally purchased the car from Jere.
The police also presented evidence that Muwema had fled Kabompo when officers began questioning his mother. He was later apprehended at his uncle’s house in Solwezi.
Muwema, in his defense, claimed he had purchased the vehicle legally after selling timber in Lusaka. However, the court found his explanation inconsistent with the evidence.
Judge Bowa ruled that the circumstantial evidence strongly pointed to Muwema’s guilt. He noted that Muwema’s attempt to flee, the possession of Jere’s phone, and the disposal of Jere’s body all indicated his involvement in the crime.
The court also dismissed claims that police coerced Muwema into making statements, stating that he voluntarily led officers to the location where Jere’s remains were found.
The judge found no extenuating circumstances in the case, citing the violent nature of the crime and the distress caused to the victim’s family, who were left without closure.
In sentencing Muwema, Judge Bowa emphasised the gravity of the offenses, stating that the aggravated robbery and murder warranted the maximum punishment.
The court ruled that Muwema be imprisoned for life.
