Kalonga Kanono forgives Mansa woman

CHARLES MUSONDA writes @SunZambian LUSAKA traditional healer Chileya Chilufya, commonly known as Dr. Kalonga Kanono, has forgiven a Mansa woman he accused of trespassing at his premises while seeking marriage to him. Last week the accused person Miriam Kunda, 27, of Mansa Zambia National Service camp, denied one count of criminal trespass before Lusaka Resident Magistrate Amy Masoja after which the court set yesterday as date for commencement of trial. When the case came up yesterday, public prosecutor Abraham Ngozo informed the court that Chilufya was present as a witness but that he wanted to address the court in line with what he had informed the prosecution last week. After being called to the witness box, Chilufya, 46, of house number 1604 in Makeni Villa, Lusaka, gave his occupation as businessman and informed the court that he had forgiven Kunda. But the court reminded him that Kunda had denied the charge and asked him what he was forgiving her for and in response Chilufya insisted that the accused person trespassed on his premises. Ms. Masoja then told him that she had to weigh the reason he had forgiven Kunda and asked him if he had given a false report to the police against Kunda. Asked by the court if she was found at Chilufya’s premises, Kunda admitted but said that she did not know that it was an offence. The court then reprimanded Kunda upon observing that her facial expression and gesture did not show that she was remorseful. Ms. Masoja then invoked Section 8 of the Criminal Procedure Code and stayed the proceedings and shortly after Chilufya walked out of the courtroom. After being told that her case was over, Kunda went straight to the bench where a woman who had accompanied Chilufya to court sat and the two whispered to each other before walking out together.  Particulars of offence were that on December 3, 2020 in Lusaka, Kunda entered Chilufya’s premises with intent to steal. It was alleged that on January 4, 2020 she visited his office to seek help as she wanted traditional medicine for her to get back to her husband in Kabwe following a dispute the couple had. According to Chilufya, he helped her twice with some traditional medicine after which she went back to him and appreciated that the medicine had worked as she had gone back to her husband. He stated that to his surprise, in August last year Kunda went back to his office with her bags that she had finally gone back to him so that he could marry her. Chilufya said the accused person became aggressive forcing him to take her to the police where he was advised to help Kunda with transport money which he gave her. He added that to his surprise the accused person again went to his house for the fourth time on December 3, 2020 with her bags demanding that he marries her. Chileya said he then decided to report the matter to the police so that he could be helped because he did not want Kunda near his house on grounds that she was just a client who went to him for help which he did but for some unknown reasons she wanted him to marry her.