PHYSICIST FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULTING ARMY OFFICER AFTER BEING CAUGHT IN MATRIMONIAL BEDROOM
The Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has found 35 year old physicist Dickson Musopelo guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he was caught in an army officer’s matrimonial bedroom with the officer’s wife.
Magistrate Victoria Mututwa delivered the judgment today, bringing to a close a case that has drawn public attention due to its dramatic circumstances.
The court heard that on September 26, 2025, Musopelo was found inside the bedroom of Mr Chisha, an army officer, after 22 hours. Evidence presented during trial indicated that Mr Chisha unexpectedly entered his bedroom and discovered Musopelo with his wife. It was alleged that the wife had asked Musopelo to hide in a wardrobe when her husband walked in.
During the confrontation that followed, Musopelo allegedly punched Mr Chisha, causing him injuries. As a result, he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
When placed on his defence, Musopelo denied the allegations and called two witnesses, his sister Martha Musopelo and a medical doctor, Sithokozile Nandazi.
Ms Musopelo told the court that on September 27, 2025, her brother went to her home bleeding, with bruises on his left eye and two broken teeth. She said she rushed him to Kabwata Police Station to obtain a medical report and later took him to the University Teaching Hospitals for treatment.
However, during cross examination, State prosecutor Georgina Daka pointed out that the medical report described Musopelo as stable. The witness also admitted that she was not present during the alleged assault on September 26 and could not state what had transpired.
Dr Nandazi testified that she attended to Musopelo in September 2025 at the casualty department. She told the court that he complained of difficulty swallowing, jaw pain, a laceration above the eye, neck bruises, nausea and two broken teeth. The doctor said Musopelo reported that he had been hit during an altercation and briefly lost consciousness.
Under cross examination, the doctor admitted she did not conduct a specific examination on the broken teeth and did not present photographs or physical evidence of the injuries before court. She further acknowledged that the injuries could have been caused by another person or even self inflicted. She also confirmed that at the time she examined him, he was stable and not bleeding.
After considering all the evidence, the court found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Musopelo of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Sentencing is expected to follow in accordance with the law.