Chilenje mob ‘kills’ serial women attacker linked to Ruth Mbandu murder
A VIOLENT career criminal specialising in attacking women has died two days before the International Women’s Day, following a life-ending mob beating in Lusaka’s Chilenje.
The deceased identified as 39-year old Collins Kasiye Soma was one of people arrested back in 2012 in connection with the gruesome murder of NIPA student, Ruth Mbandu.
He was released on nolle prosequi in 2016.
At the time of his arrest over the Ruth Mbandu murder case, Soma was fresh from serving a three year jail term on a robbery charge after he was convicted for attacking and robbing a women in Lusaka’s Kanyama Compound.
He has also been linked to attacks on women in Lusaka’s Chelstone area and Mpika in Muchinga Province.
Details leading to Soma’s death are that on Wednesday evening, a 20-year old female Chilenje resident was walking home near Old State House when she received a sudden violent blow to her head from a solo male attacker, who then wrestled a cellphone Infinix hot 40i valued at K2800 from her.
As the victim, identified as Estella Mwape fell to the ground realing in pian, she shouted for help causing residents nearby to pour out of their houses and give Soma a good run for his ill-obtained property.
It was not long before the mob captured the attacker and took him through a thorough and brutal beating session that not only redesigned his facial appearance but also shifted his vital internal organs from their original positions as well as altering their rightful job descriptions.
For instance, the pummelling Soma’s body received was so hard that his pancreas forcibly relocated from the deeper abdomen to somewhere between his kidneys while his heart took over the job of receiving digested food instead of his abdomen.
The dedication and vigour with which the mob beat Soma was as if each one of them was on national duty to further improve the country’s economy.
When no one else no longer had energy to continue the beating, the helpless criminal was handed to officers at Chilenje Police Station together with his bag containing two stolen cellphones, one belonging to the victim and the other one belonging to a person he had attacked earlier
At the police, the criminal identified himself as Victor Lubasi but one vigilant officer noticed that their latest client was in fact Soma, a notorious suspect who had been arrested several times on various crimes against women.
Upon realizing that they were dealing with a serial women attacker, officers employed their tried and tasted police tactics that have long been known to produce results in encouraging their guest to open up, and soon enough Soma was motivated to start talking.
Soma readily confessed to several crimes in which he targeted women while giving chilling details of his operations.
Soma then led officers to at least seven women from Chilenje township whom he had attacked and robbed of their valuables, mostly cell phones.
Some of the victims are still recovering from the injuries inflicted by Soma and their images are too graphic to share on the Kalemba Facebook. (You can find them on our website).
Still motivated to talk to talk, Soma told officers that he sold most of the phones he stole from his victims at Katondo Street in the Lusaka Business District.
Officers then took Soma to a recovery session yesterday, but by then, the beating he had received was taking its toll on him.
Soma suddenly became weak and unable to talk, and for their kind hearts and Ubuntu, officers rushed him Sikanze police Hospital for treatment.
Unfortunately, Soma’s condition worsened and was hence referred him to the University Teaching Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Zambia Police Service spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi has confirmed Soma’s capture, mob beating and subsequent death.
“During the investigation, the suspect led police to multiple crime scenes and demonstrated how he carried out the attacks, which involved seven female victims at different dates and locations,” Chilabi told Kalemba in statement.
“On March 6, 2026, while voluntarily leading police officers to recover stolen phones in the Central Business District, the suspect suddenly lost consciousness. He was rushed to Sikanze Police Hospital and later referred to University Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” added Chilabi.
Kalemba March 8, 2026