THE High Court has acquitted a 25-year-old man of Kitwe who was accused of murd£ring Catholic priest Deodatus Mbebe, whose body was found dumped near his girlfriend’s house in Ndola’s Pamodzi in 2022.

The verdict, delivered by Ndola High Court Judge Greenwell Malumani on Monday afternoon, led to emotional scenes as the priest’s girlfriend and other family members were seen crying.

The girlfriend, Justina Luchele, 48, is a nurse at Arthur Davison’s Hospital (ADH).

Judge Malumani stated that the evidence presented by the State was insufficient to convict Danny Makina, of Kapoto in Kitwe.

Makina was charged with murd£r and three counts of aggravated robbery.