A Zambian Woman Analica Jere has been swindled k46,000 by a witchdoctor from Uganda identified as Kafelo Foma who is based in Chalala, saying that he solves any problem a human been is facing.
However,the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has entered a plea of not guilty after Foma denied the charges.
In this matter, Kafelo Foma, a Ugandan Witchdoctor is facing one count of Theft by False Pretence contrary to section 308 and 309 of the penal code chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particular’s of the offence are that Last year on 11th September, 2018 in Lusaka Chalala Area, Foma the accused person had to swindle Jere k46,000 pretending to be a witchdoctor and saying that he is a powerful witchdoctor who handle any problem that come across him but however in the process Foma had to run away.
And when the matter came up for Continuation of trial before Magistrate Nsunge Chanda, Jere told the honurable court that she came across the accused through a Facebook advert.
“I had a problem with my fiance and l wanted him to marry me. So l saw an advert on Facebook saying that there is a person in Chalala who solves problems such as marital problems, job issues and etc. Thereafter, l decided to make a call, which that person told me that his name is Kafelo Foma. He told me to come with k46,000 to his house which i borrowed from a male friend who stays in Europe. Foma told me to drop the money in the trunk which l did, thereafter he started talking to the spiritual god, in which they were exchanging words with,”Jere narrated the story to the court in which she is the complainant.
Jere further explained that , Foma swindled me.
“The doctor (Kafelo Foma) told me to leave and come back the following day, which l did but sadly l did not find him there because he was just renting. In short, he had run away after he swindled me k46,000. I tried my level best to phone him but all his lines he gave me were off. I decided to report the matter to the police station,”Jere added in her testimony to the court.
But the Defence Lawyers for Kafelo Foma denied that a chef, who get k3,000 monthly salary can not be in possession of k46,000.
Additionally, the state brought in the arresting officer who is a Chief Investigator General Police Mubita Moya who testified that he arrested Foma according to what the complainant told him.
“When Analica Jere, who is the complainant in this case explained the case to me, as the investigator l had to investigate the matter more which led to the arrest of the witch doctor Foma. Moreover, no money was recovered,”Moya told the court.
At this stage the court room got tense as Defence Lawyers for Foma labeled the police officer as incompetent.
“You are incompetent, how can an investigative officer just rely on the complainant’s testimony. You did not even investigate the matter but you arrested the accused,”said the Defence Lawyers for Foma.
But Magistrate Nsunge Chanda ruled that in most cases police officers rely on the complainant’s report which is right because they must protect the complainant.
However,the matter was adjourned for continuation of trial.