Benos testifies how she knifed Reeves Malambo

THE Lusaka High Court has heard how murder-accused Tshabu Benos ‘hit’ businessman Reeves Malambo with a knife that allegedly killed him as she tried to save herself from being hit on the floor.

In this case, Benos is charged with the murder of Malambo, who was Auto Force proprietor.

Allegations are that the accused committed the offence on January 28 this year.

Opening defence today after she was found with a case to answer last month, Benos, who broke down during her testimony, narrated that she ‘hit’ Malambo with a knife in confusion that erupted after the deceased insisted on inserting his fingers in her private parts to check if she was from sleeping with another man.

Benos said on the fateful night, Malambo was interrogating her and accused her of sleeping with other men and that a fight ensued.

An emotional atmosphere characterised the courtroom as Benos narrated how she stabbed Malambo in a bid to prevent him from hitting her on the floor.

She said on the material day, she went to church and later proceeded to see her niece, who was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
The court heard that after visiting her niece, she proceeded to see her sister-in-law in Rhodes Park where she drunk wine.

Benos told the court that whilst at her in-laws’ house, Malambo called her on several numbers but she avoided his calls.

She said later on when she opened her phone, she found missed calls and WhatsApp messages from Malambo in which he accused her of bi***ing around and he threatened her that she would see.

Benos said she did not tell Malambo that she was at her sister-in-law’s house because he was going to shout at her.

She said her brother, Mumba, who was initially jointly charged with her but the State discontinued the case against him after he was turned into a witness, picked her up from her in-laws’ house around 21:00 hours and that when they reached home, they found Malambo’s car parked in her yard.

She said when she entered the house, her 12-year-old daughter, Memory, told her that Malambo was home.

“I was pressed and the nearest toilet was in my bedroom. I grabbed my car keys and rushed inside. As I was going in, I saw Reeves, who followed me in the bedroom. He asked where I was and I told him ‘sweetie I thought I told you’,” she said.

Benos said as she was dropping the car keys on the bed, she saw Malambo locking the bedroom and putting the keys in his pocket.

“I rushed in the toilet, Reeves stood by the door. When I saw him, I pulled my trousers quickly as I was on my periods,” she narrated further.

Benos said Malambo then asked where she had been but that before she could respond, the deceased pushed her and started beating her.

The court heard that whilst beating her, he asked her to undress so that he could put his fingers in her private parts to check if she had sex with another man.

Benos said Malambo asked why she was not picking his calls.
“He told me ‘let’s see your pussycat’; you were f***ing another man. I held on to my trousers and said I won’t do that as it was disgusting, I told him why do you like this habit. My Lady, each time he suspected I was cheating, he used to check my private parts with his fingers and smell them, sometimes he would force himself on me and have sex even if I was not ready,”
Benos narrated.

The court heard that it was at this point that Malambo grabbed her and hit her against the wall while insisting to check her private parts.

Benos told the court that she ran away from him with hopes of opening the locked door but Malambo pulled her by her hair, held her by the neck and strangled her.

She said Malambo continued beating her and telling her that she was never satisfied.

She said Malambo told her that his friends saw her at the University of Zambia with other men.

Benos said she told Malambo that he was beating her for no reason but he told her that he would cut her and deform her so that other men don’t look at her.

She said Malambo also told her that he would kill her.

Benos said as she was on the floor, she saw the deceased coming from the bedroom pantry with a knife she had bought from salaula.

She said Malambo then slashed her twice on her stomach, forcing her to shout for help.

The court heard that Malambo grabbed Benos’ left hand and twisted it.
“I felt a sharp pain on my wrist. I said ‘sweetie you are hurting me’,” she narrated.

Reeves Malambo lies on a hospital bed

The court further heard that Benos then went for the knife and ‘hit’ the deceased on the right side of his back.

“He grabbed me around the hip and put me on his left shoulder. All I wanted was for him to let go of me because he was going to hit me on the floor. In that confusion, I hit him with a knife on the right side. He fell on one knee and said he was hurt and he dropped me,”

Benos said as she broke down prompting Lusaka High Court judge Gertrude Chawatama to stand down the matter.