Girlfriend on defence for Malambo’s murder

By DELPHINE ZULU –
THE Lusaka High Court has placed Shabu Benos, the alleged killer of Lusaka businessman and Auto Force proprietor, Reeves Malambo, on her defence.
High Court judge-in-charge Gertrude Chawatama placed Benos on her defence yesterday after saying that a prima facie case had been established against her.
In delivery ruling at the case-to-answer stage of the on-going hearing, Ms Justice Chawatama said she had taken into consideration the evidence by the State and found that a prima facie case had been established by the State.
“Having taken into account all the testimonies of the State witnesses, I find that a prima facie case has been established and I, therefore, put you on your defence,” she said.
Benos is charged with the murder of Mr Malambo on the evening of January 29th this year, in which she is alleged to have used a sharp knife to stab him in his back at his house in Lusaka’s Ibex Hill.
The accused was earlier in the case jointly charged with her brother, Mumba Mutanuka but he was discharged along the way.
During trial, a video of Benos was shown in court demonstrating how she freely and voluntarily led the officers and her relatives to her Ibex Hills house where she narrated how the whole event leading to the alleged murder unfolded.
In the video Benos narrated how she stabbed her lover in the couple’s bedroom after she claimed he wanted to kill her using the same knife she grabbed from him.
Malambo was stabbed and later on rushed to Hill Top hospital where he was pronounced dead due to excessive bleeding from the deep wound.
Benos was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to October 20 for possible setting of the date for the commencement of the defence hearing.