A ZAMBIA Army officer, Lieutenant Nigel Mwaba, who is accused of murdering his lover Dr Tasila Tembo has been committed to the High Court for trial.

This was after Mwaba, 33, appeared before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, Friday morning, for explanation of the murder charge.

Mwaba of Balastone in Lusaka West, is facing one count of murder.

It is alleged that the accused between October 24 and October 26, 2020 in Lusaka, murdered Dr Tembo.

The accused was brought to the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court around 08:30 hours by C5 police officers while handcuffed.

He first appeared before Lusaka Principal magistrate Mwaka Mikalile who allocated the case to Magistrate Chinunda Chiwaula.

Once in his court, magistrate Chiwaula read the charge to the accused person, who said he understood it.

At this point, magistrate Chiwaula informed Mwaba that the charge he was facing was not tried by the Magistrates’ Court but High Court.

He further informed the accused that he was required to appear before him (magistrate Chiwaula) for mention before being committed to the High Court.

However, State prosecutor Hermit Maloza informed the court that the prosecution had instructions to have the accused person committed to the High Court for trial.

Magistrate Chiwaula then committed Mwaba to the High Court for trial.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Chiwaula has instructed the prosecution to ensure that Mwaba undergoes necessary medical attention.

He said it was within Mwaba’s right that he was treated.

This was after the accused applied to be granted an opportunity to be taken to the hospital to see an ear specialist.

Mwaba said what was happening to him while in detention caused him injury and damage to his ears.

He said he had lost hearing on one side of the ear and that it continued discharging pus and blood because of the damage he sustained while in detention.

Mwaba said he was taken to Sikanze camp where a nurse who saw him discovered that he had an infection in his ears.

Mwaba was arrested a month after Dr Tembo was murdered.

This was after he was spotted at Leopards Memorial Park around 16:00 hours when he requested workers at the cemetery to show him where Dr Tasila had been buried.

Police in Lusaka had initially launched a manhunt for Mwaba who was suspected to have murdered Dr Tembo.

In a statement, acting police spokesperson Danny Mwale announced that Dr Tembo’s body was found in a decomposed state covered with leaves in an army training centre in Mikango area.

“Police in Lusaka received a report of a missing person in which it was reported that a female identified as Dr Tasila Tembo, aged 47, of plot number 1732 Meanwood, Ibex Hill, went missing. This occurred on October 24, 2020 around 16 hours. Investigations into the matter were instituted and on October 27, 2020, at 13:00. Police discovered the body of a woman, who was later identified as Dr Tasila Tembo. The body was found in a decomposed state covered with leaves in Nanking Army Training Centre in Mikango area,” narrated Mwale.

“The body was temporarily buried at a traditional burial site in Mikango area awaiting post-mortem to be conducted today at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect, who has been identified as Lieutenant Nigel Mwaba, aged 33, of Zambia Army in Lusaka. We appeal to members of the public, who may have the information of the whereabouts of the suspect, to report to any police station.”