TWO BROTHERS DETAINED AFTER 2-YEAR-OLD GIRL’S DEATH IN SUSPECTED DEFILEMENT CASE
A 29-year-old Civilian Officer at the Zambia National Service-ZNS in Choma, Abraham Chimese, together with his 20-year-old brother, Joseph Chimese, are in Police custody for allegedly causing the death of the former’s 2-year-old girl child in a suspected defilement case.
On 17th June, 2024 around 08:55 hours, Choma Police Station received a tip from a staff at the District General Hospital that there was a juvenile girl there who had died after being suspected to have been assaulted and defiled.
The deceased is said to have been taken to the hospital the previous day by the father on an allegation that the baby was not feeling well.
Southern Province Commissioner of Police, Auxensio Daka, states that at the time of receiving the information, the remains of the girl had already been deposited at the mortuary.
Daka says Police Officers conducted a thorough physical inspection and observed that she had multiple fresh wounds and bruises, as well as suspected human sperms on the genitalia, accompanied by blood.
He notes that preliminary inquiries indicate that the deceased was under the custody of her biological father in Shampande Compound following a marital separation with his wife in April, 2024 and was sharing the same bed with her.
On 16th June, the father took the child to Shampande Clinic, claiming she had malaria symptoms, however, medical personnel noticed some fresh wounds on the child’s body and referred her to Choma General Hospital for further examination.
The child was admitted and later died at approximately 03:25 hours the following day, with the hospital instructing the father to report the matter to the Police owing to the suspicious nature of the case.
Meanwhile, Daka says investigations revealed that the victim’s uncle, Joseph Chimese, had been responsible for the daily care and bathing of the deceased in the absence of the biological mother.
He says on the night of 15th and 16th June, the deceased slept in the bedroom with the father while Joseph slept in the sitting room alone.
Daka reveals that the father admitted to inflicting physical injuries on the deceased during the night she spent in his bedroom, but denies having carnal knowledge of her.
Investigation has further established that before her death, the girl was defiled, with more details expected to be availed after a postmortem scheduled for today, 19th June, 2024.
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