A police officer has testified in the Lusaka High Court that former Family Health Trust executive director Benny Zulu, who is accused of murdering a 19-year-old woman, led cops to the crime scene for reconstruction.

In this matter, Zulu is charged with murder and particulars of the offence are that on July 9 this year, he murdered Natasha Mukandawire.

When the matter came up for continued trial before High Court Judge Wilfred Muma, Wednesday, a police officer, detective sergeant George Tembo testified that some informers told police that there was a dead body in Pandika Village in Chief Mungule’s area.

Tembo said when officers went to crime scene, they indeed found Natasha’s body facing downwards and he took pictures from different angles before taking any other action.

Tembo said upon inspecting the body, he saw a cut on the right side of the forehead and when he turned the body, he appreciated the extent of the wound.

He narrated that a few meters from where the body was lying, there was a purple slipper and a bush green head sock.

Tembo testified that according to his assessment, the deceased could have been killed from another location and dumped elsewhere because there was no evidence of struggle where she was found.

He said after taking five pictures, which he presented as evidence, the body of the deceased was taken to University Teaching Hospital (UTH) mortuary.

Tembo also informed the court that he knew the accused, Zulu, as his neighbor in Ngwerere where he once lived.

Asked in cross examination by Zulu’s lawyer, Robert Simeza, if he investigated who the assailants were, Tembo said his role ended at taking pictures at the scene before he handed over the case to others to investigate.

Meanwhile, Stephen Mvula, a senior superintendent who is also deputy in-charge of forensics based at Lusaka Central Police, testified that on July 17, 2019 during the course of his investigations, he conducted a scene reconstruction after Zulu led him and other officers to the scene.

He said Zulu led the officers to where he had picked up Natasha and where he eventually parked the vehicle.

Mvula told the court that he took pictures of the reconstructed scene, which he showed to the court.

He further testified that one of the reasons for reconstructing the scene was to determine where the bullets that perforated the inside of the vehicle came from.

Mvula said two bullets hit the target at 80 degrees and 30 degrees respectively.

He told the court that one of the officers handed him a pistol of serial number NY5634 and a Grey Mistubish Pajero registration number ABK 8531, which were allegedly involved in the crime.

Mvula tendered a pistol and its accessories to the court as part of evidence.

And Sabina Chato of Chilanga Police Station based at Lusaka Central Police under homicide department section said on July 16, she was assigned to attend Natasha’s postmortem at UTH mortuary.

She said the postmortem which was conducted by a Doctor Mucheleganga in the company of two other officers lasted three hours, adding that during the procedure, she noted that Natasha had a cut on the right side of the neck as well as another on the right side of the head.

Chato told the court that when the skull was opened, Natasha was found with multiple cuts.

Trial continues on October 21.