RUTH MBANDU: 14 YEARS LATER, HER MURDER QUESTIONS REMAIN
Fourteen years have passed, but the pain surrounding the murder of 19-year-old Ruth Mbandu remains fresh for those who loved her.
On July 13, 2012, Ruth, a student at the National Institute for Public Administration (NIPA), disappeared in Lusaka. Her body was later discovered in the Emmasdale area, having been subjected to horrific violence.
The brutal nature of her death shocked Zambia and sparked nationwide grief and demands for justice.
Police arrested several suspects, including people known to Ruth and a relative. However, the case later became complicated when some accused persons told the court that they had been tortured and forced to sign confessions.
In March 2017, the High Court acquitted the accused, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court also raised concerns about serious failures in the police investigation.
The acquittals left Ruth’s family without the answers they desperately wanted.
A LIFE TAKEN, A FAMILY STILL WAITING
Ruth was only 19. She had dreams, hopes and a future ahead of her.
Today, she would be 33 years old.
But instead of celebrating the woman she might have become, her loved ones are still left with one painful question:
Who killed Ruth Mbandu?
Her case remains one of Zambia’s most haunting unsolved murders a painful reminder that behind every cold case is a family still waiting for truth, closure and justice.
Zambian Post 9 August 2026| By Jane Banda📸