The Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has heard how a University of Zambia student alerted her colleague that a lecturer had indecently assaulting her.
In this case, UNZA lecturer Dr Austin Mbozi is charged with indecent assault in females.
He allegedly indecently assaulted Natasha Ngoma on September 20, last year by touching her breasts and thighs.
Testifying before magistrate Felix Kaoma, Kafyende Mwenya, 25, a consultant and former student at UNZA, narrated that on the material day, he received a message from Natasha informing him that she was trouble as she was about to be indecently assaulted by Dr Mbozi.
According to Natasha’s statement, Dr Mbozi invited her to his office so that she could help him type some work and promised to pay her.
But the accused allegedly started touching her breasts and wanted to touch her private parts while in the office which was locked.
Mwenya said his female friend sent him a text informing him that she was in trouble as she was allegedly locked in a lecturer’s office.
He said he was in his room in Kalingalinga hostel when he received a text message from the victim.
Mwenya, who was at the time pursuing an agriculture extension course in the school of Agriculture Sciences, said he received the text around 18:00 hours.
“While in my room, I received an sms from the victim saying she was in trouble. I responded and asked what is wrong but I never got a response from her,” he testified.
Mwenya said he tried to phone the victim but she never picked the call.
“I then received a call and when I answered, a different lady on the line asked me to go to the school of natural sciences,” he said.
Mwenya said when he reached the physics department, he found the complainant crying while seated with two other women.
He said he tried to find out what had happened and one of the ladies explained that the complainant had gone to one of the lecturer’s office but he locked her up in the office.
Mwenya said when he tried to get more details about what had happened to the victim, the complainant who continued crying, collapsed.
He said he got a taxi and rushed her to the clinic in the company of the two ladies.
“When she regained conscious, the two ladies were advised that the victim should go to UNZA security and give them a statement,” narrated Mwenya.
