A Forensic Analyst at Police Headquarters has told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that a DNA test conducted on the 32-year-old man and 22-year-old woman charged with incest, proves that the two are 99.9 percent siblings.

The witness further told the court that DNA results further revealed that the two accused persons were biological parents of two children.

In this matter, Alivad Mumba, a painter, is charged with incest contrary to Section 159 (1) of the Penal Code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that between 2014 and October 6, 2018, in Lusaka, Mumba had carnal knowledge of Miriam Hara knowing she was his sister.

And in count two, Miriam Hara, is charged with offences against morality contrary to Section 15 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that between the same dates, Hara had carnal knowledge of Alivad Mumba whom to her knowledge is her brother.

The duo had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

And when the matter came up for continuation of trial before magistrate Faides Hamaundu, Thursday, Innocent Makasa, 45, of Chelstone police camp testified that on October 17, 2018 while he was on duty, he received a request to do a DNA test in a case of incest.

He said the subjects were the two accused, Enala Mwanza (their mother), and two juveniles, suspected to be the accused persons’ children.

Makasa said he was later on requested to go and collect four samples, two for the accused, and the other two for their children.

“Later on, on December 26, 2018, I was requested to go to Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe police post to collect four samples, two of which were for Hara, Mumba and two children,” he said.

Makasa said the first request was to ascertain the relationship of Enala Mwanza and the two accused persons.

He added that the second test was to ascertain the relationship of Hara, Mumba and the two children.

Makasa disclosed that he found that Enala Mwanza was the biological mother of the two accused persons and that the two were the biological parents of the other two children.

“I went on to do the test and the results generated as follows; I found that Enala Mwanza is the biological mother to both Mumba and Hara with a certainty of 99.9 percent. I also found that Mumba and Hara are the biological parents of the two children,” he said.

During cross examination, the accused persons had no questions to ask the witness.

The matter has been adjourned to May 7.