A witness has told the Lusaka High Court that she saw Tshabu Benos holding a dagger and heard her shouting that she would kill Reeves Malambo because she was tired of being beaten.

In this matter, Benos is charged for Malambo’s murder.

Testifying before judge Gertrude Chawatama, was 27-year-old Tamara Machele who used to be Benos’ maid.

Machele narrated that she was woken up by Benos’ shouting around 23:00 hours on January 29.

She said she heard Benos saying “I’ll kill you Malambo, it is too much of you beating me”, three times.

Machele testified that she went to see what was going on and she found Benos holding a dagger in her right hand whilst her brother Mumba Mutanuka was in the passage dragging Malambo out of the house.

She said that once outside, Mutanuka and Benos went to Malambo’s Benz but found that it was locked.

Machele testified that Benos dropped the dagger near Malambo’s car and rushed to her car where she managed to put Malambo inside with Mutanuka’s aid.

She said they told her to accompany them to the hospital but she refused saying she had a small baby to take care of.

After efforts to convince her to tag along, Machele said she went inside the house to carry her baby but when she came back outside, Benos had driven off with her brother and Malambo in her car.

She explained that two gentlemen whom Mutanuka sent to get a blanket informed her that Malambo was dead about an hour later.

Machele told the court that Mutanuka had called Benos’ daughter Sabrina and asked her to hide the dagger, which she did.

Machele testified that the following morning, police officers went to Benos’ house in Ibex Hill and retrieved the dagger before she was taken to Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe police where she was locked for three days.

She said police only released her after interrogations.

In cross examination, Machele refuted the suggestions by a Legal Aid Board counsel that Benos was saying sorry amidst sobs.

She also said she never witnessed any fight between her boss and her boyfriend neither did she Benos stabbing him.

Meanwhile Malambo’s nephew Eugene testified that the last time he saw his uncle on the material day was when he was trying to get in touch with a person who wanted to meet at Lusaka Trust Hospital.

He says his uncle never returned home despite promising to return after watching a football match.

Eugene said he only received a call around 04:00 hours from his cousin informing him that their uncle had been murdered.

And Justice Chawatama threatened to lock up anyone who was intimidating the state witnesses.

Trial continues.