LUSAKA High Court Judge Charles Kafunda has pronounced James Bwalya and Mathews Sikaonga guilty of abduction,raping and brutally assaulting of 13 women in Lusaka last October.

This was after the duo pleaded guilty to all 54 charges slapped on them.

Before passing the sentence on June 22, the Judge will have a sentence hearing to hear evidence from the victims so that the same can be considered before the verdict is passed.

Bwalya and Sikaonga admitted kidnapping the 13 women in Lusaka between March and October 2022 and held them hostage in a house in Chalala, a period in which the physically, mentally and sexually abused the victims while demanding ransoms from their relatives.

During reading of facts this morning the court heard how the duo kidnapped the 13 one by one and threatened them of going mad if they ever tried to escape the house who disclose their predicament to anyone.

The court also heard that the two youths used charms on the victims to prevent their families from tracing them.
The court also heard that the convicts would force the victims to dance sexually and anyone who did not heed would be brutally beaten.

After the facts were readout in segments by three state advocates, the Judge convicted the duo in all 54 counts upon their admission.