CHOMBA MUSIKA
Lusaka
A WOMAN who claimed she was raped by police while in custody has been committed to the High Court for trial in a matter she is accused of killing her husband, a formerMinistry of Agriculture official.
The accused, Meya Masumba-Miti, is jointly charged with Florence Banda on claims the duo killed Francisco Miti on August 24, 2024.
Yesterday, the two women appeared before Lusaka Magistrates Court, where an adjudicator committed them to the High Court for trial.
This was after the Director of Public Prosecutions, through Chief State advocate Nkumbiza Mumba, issued instructions for the accused to be committed to the High Court for trial.
Ms Miti recently filed a lawsuit before the High Court, applying that she should be taken to court as soon as possible since she had been in custody for eight months without being tried.
In the documents, she claimed that before interrogations over the murder allegations, a police officer allegedly raped her – while she was handcuffed – in the bush.
Ms Miti submitted that she was ready to identify the police officer who allegedly sexually abused her.
She claimed that she was raped in a bush while being transported from Chilanga Police Station in readiness for questioning.
Ms Miti urged the High Court to direct the Lusaka Division Commissioner of Police to constitute an identification parade for her to finger out the male police officer who raped her.
She complains that the alleged rape left her traumatised.
She adds that she was in custody in connection with the death of her husband, Dr Miti, who was working for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ms Miti said her husband died due to an attack by armed robbers who broke into their house.
“My husband was badly injured as he was hit with an object on the head and was rushed to UTH [University Teaching Hospitals], where, after some days, he died. Just after this unfortunate incident, I was made to give a report at the police about what happened.
“But after burial, half-blood sisters of my late husband concocted a story that I was responsible for the demise of my husband and I was then consequently reported to the police,” she said.
