Friday, December 20, 2024

Wezi Kaunda’s killer confesses

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The Late Wezi Kaunda

A LUSAKA man convicted of aggravated robbery and murder yesterday confessed to killing former president Kenneth Kaunda’s son, Wezi.

Moses Mulenga told the Supreme Court sitting in Ndola that he robbed and murdered Major Kaunda and that he was not hired to do so but did it out of banditry.

This is when Mulenga, 41, appeared before the Supreme Court bench sitting in Ndola yesterday comprising Chief Justice Ernest Sakala and Supreme Court justices Lombe Chibesakunda and Marvin Mwanamwambwa for appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Mulenga appeared with Amon Banda, 43, for appeal against their conviction of robbing Major Kaunda and murdering him.

Facts of the case in the charge of aggravated robbery are that Mulenga and Banda on November 3, 1999, in Lusaka while jointly acting together and armed with an AK47 assault rifle, robbed Major Kaunda of a Toyota GX Land Cruiser, registration number AAL 5948, valued at K80 million, and during the act used violence to retain the said property.

Mulenga and Banda were also charged with murder and facts were that the two, on November 4, 1999 in Lusaka, murdered Major Kaunda.

They were sentenced to death when the Lusaka High Court found them guilty on July 25, 2003, but they appealed against both the conviction and the sentence. When the matter came up yesterday, senior Legal Aid counsel Kelvin Muzenga said he was appearing for the second appellant, Banda and that Mulenga would represent himself as he had something to inform the bench.

Mulenga then told the court that he deeply regretted the matter over which he was in court and to clear his conscience, he was abandoning the appeal.

“My conscience cannot allow me to go ahead with this appeal because everything that the judge in the lower court found I had done, I did,” he said.

Mulenga said he took part in the stealing of the vehicle and the shooting of Major Kaunda, adding that he did it out of banditry and that no one sent him or hired him to do so.

Mr Justice Sakala asked Mulenga if he had consulted widely before he decided to drop the appeal and Mulenga said he had and that he did it because of his troubled conscience.

As for Banda, Mr Muzenga said the trial judge misdirected himself when he convicted his client based on uncorroborated evidence.

He said the trial judge relied on the evidence given by three witnesses, who were the taxi driver that drove the two to Major Kaunda’s house, Major Kaunda’s wife and a third witness.

Mr Muzenga said Mrs Kaunda was traumatised at the time she was identifying Mulenga and Banda and therefore gave weak evidence while the other two witnesses were accomplice witnesses who had interests to serve.

The State counsel, Ms Phiri urged the court to uphold the conviction for Banda because while the other two were suspect witnesses, it was an odd coincidence that the two could identify the same people as Mrs Kaunda who had no interest to serve.

The judgment on the appeal was reserved to a date to be announced later.

[Times of Zambia]

85 COMMENTS

  1. # 2…looks like guy has a weak conscience coz it has been too long indeed….
    I actually worked with this guy in same dept. He was our driver…seemed quiet at the time and polite…
    Guess after losing job at CAB, he could not stand the lack of money….sad story for all involved…loss of life and loss of freedom (and possibly the gallows)…

  2. Iyu wezi killed a ZRA worker called Chanda on Chirundu aroad.God has a way of balancing things.Rise by the sword perish by the Sword

  3. This current crop of MMD leaders ,acts first and thinks later simply because of big mpuno wants things done his way , but remember big mpuno was never a founding member of MMD and by that i seriously doubt if he has even read the MMD party constitution .
    Which clearly states that a MMD NEC needs to be re elected every 5 years and the last NEC was voted in , between july 13 and 17th 2005 which means that this current NEC has actualy over stayed its mandate which constitutionaly (MMD) expired on july 17th 2010 , so the NEC that conveined to expell Mpombo and mangande actauly in leagal tearms has no mandate . so this is the window opening that they the MMD did not realise when expelling these two MP’s and as such will bite them in the butt

  4. It’s good that the man has confessed. His troubled conscience could not allow him to walk head high especially that he might not be a habitual murderer. We leave everything in the hands of God.

  5. I’m forever hurt on the brutal death of this selfless, smart, courageous, and open minded patriot that ever lived. He was my mentor, confidant and a rising political figure in Zambia. That dark day November 3rd, 1999 we just finished our meeting at 7pm at his home. He said he wanted to visit Ambassador George Zulu in Roma Township. Little did I know that our meeting and phone calls just exchanged were final. At exactly 11:48pm I was called that my friend & brother was in ICU at UTH shot outside the gate of his Kabulonga home.

  6. MONGU Catholic Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy has nothing to apologize for stating the hard truth. I just hope spineless jackals like Joseph Mulyata realise that their time is up. And it does not come as a surprise that it was this same Mulyata who lost the MMD the Luena bye elections by causing confusion and nearly fighting their party chairman one Mukelabai. From his name, I think he is not Lozi and just how he hopes to win the next polls in such a tribalized political dispensation only god knows. His might as well be the kicks of a dying horse, Duffy will have the last laugh. As for Wezi’s killers, we know they executed him at the behest of Kafupi.

  7. I hope KK can now accept that his late son was NOT killed by kafupi but by some common thugs. Not every death should be treated as a conspiracy. Sometimes, $hit happens!

  8. Together we did a lot & had lined up more initiatives to help the country forward. To madam his dear wife Dierdre, popularly known as “Didi”, son NgwaWezi jr. and Tengwela, I jointly remain saluting my friend and hero NgwaWezi for a million reasons. Today I’m in the USA on his visionary leadership that valued human index as asset to national development. He arranged for my studies and all the generous support that has endured times. Forever grateful! MHSRIP.

  9. # 8, You know, life can be very cruel and it always has a cunning semblance to a merry go round or indeed “chickens coming back home to roast”. My own dad met his waterloo at the behest of no other than “???????” when he was in power thinking he was god to eliminate all opponents with that tu powder he got from eastern Europe. Therefore, those who illegally cast the shadow of death unto others should not complain when the lord casts it on them or their beloved ones.

  10. Maj. Wezi was such a nice and very kind hearted person. I knew him personally. Way back in the days I often practiced the piano at his official house in Woodlands. Actually we were neighbours. I still can’t believe to this day that he has left us. MHSRIP

  11. But why did Kaunda went ahead hating and labelling FTJ?
    Something did Kaunda knew about thedeath of the son than the confessed murderers hymn. And what has taken so long a time to make this confession? Is government trying to mend the relationship of KK and FTJ since the two became nemies and one of the dividing matters of their hatred was the murder of Maj. Wezi.
    Hope this is not a make up by our intellience dept.

  12. I concur with Beyonce wapa Zed, this story leaves a lot to be desired…me thinks someone is trying hard to get his name cleard in all the dirty deeds he committed during his time at plot 1.This Mulenga chap knows very well that he will either spend the rest of his life behind bars or face the hangman, so why not make a deal with the devil and leave your family comfortable,he’s got nothing to lose;. Christian nation-my @zz

  13. 11 years on sure!!! Fair and speedy trail indeed. Even if he did it of his own will, Chiluba still comes in for infusing thuggery into the minds of our people. Wezi Kaunda, Ronald Penza, Paul Tembo why all these murders during the Chiluba era?

  14. Was this a voluntary confession or induced one? Somebody is really trying hard to portray Zarare a “good damn president”

  15. Was this a voluntary confession or induced one? Somebody is really trying hard to portray Zarare a “good damn president”
    Come on after 11 years?????

  16. # 8Crucible of Leadership- Tell me something. Unip MCC had a meeting where Wezi had a bitter quarrel with a one MCC member, I think he was Lifuka or something. This gentleman disappeared for some days after the quarrel only be found dead in some Lusaka compound. Please explain under which cercumstances this gentelman die.

  17. Are we still talking about the same story, 11 years later? I thought the guys had already served their jail sentences and were now Freeeeelancee!

  18. It’s taken eleven since Wezi died. Mulenga was found guilty and accordingly sentenced in 2004. However Mulenga appealed against conviction but after so much soul searching he found it necessary to come clean. He must have learnt something in prison and this is what reformation means. What does it help him to be ladden with a burden of this magnitude? Lets stop playing politics about it.

  19. God forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Ask for God to forgive you for this horriable crime and you will be at peace.

  20. #3 agree with you. Looks like Wezi Kaunda, Paul Tembo and Ronald Penza were eliminated in similar manner. What a big loss!

  21. I have never understood the rationale behind the bitterness KK haz on FTJ with regard to the killing of Wezi. But again if this confession, after 11 yearz, is some scheme to “clear” FTJ in the eyez of KK, then it’s very cheap and misplaced. When the Times of Zambia “just publishez” some storiez, you read between the linez, and smell a very dead rat.

  22. Find oout how his family is now fairing. It may be a plot as most of the bloggers have said. This RB can do anything to try and bring FTJ and KK together so that they give him support in 2011 elections. Can this Moses Mulenga tell more to the court in 11 years time????

  23. Has he been promised a pardon in 2011 by the mastermind? RB will not sign his death warrant, so he will be in prison until someone else becomes President? Could this be the plan? Major Wezi RIP. I do not think he could have made a good democratic President though, he had the worst of his father’s traits. Otherwise he was charming.

  24. i dont think this killer is saying the truth. someone is trying to use him to clear his name! kafupi was involved in the death of wezi. but if he was not the GOD be with him. nothing hidden will not come to light.

  25. People are serious about cleaning up Chiluba. But the end of the year he will be cleaned of every charges. But again the KK family is equally dirty and the Prisons are full especially the people sentenced to death. No executions have happened in this country since 1992.

  26. :-? :-w This guycould be that this guy has been promised a live abroad if he were to confess. He will be executed on paper. So many politicians were brutally murdered in Chiluba’s era and not Levy’s or Bwezani’s. What connects the dots? Why isn’t KK saying anything about this?

  27. Scotland yard investigated this murder,what did they find?it smells very fishy?alot of things have happened in the judiciary of late.Skeptical.KK is truely pained by the death of his Son and to play poker on his conscience could be more cruel than what he has already experienced.I can only hope no one is playing games with the old mans feelings and the entire Kaunda family,its cruel.

  28. I concur with the majority of bloggers who are NOT convinced by the contents of this story. Something is missing. It sounds more like a mafia-type operation.

  29. This story does not add up! I have a video where KK complained that Chiluba & his thugs Killed WEZI. That wezi was alive when he reached the hospital but Chiluba’s thugs finished him OFF. KK is around, ba LT interogate him. Not always copy and paste. This is the work of one RB to try to use both KK & FTJ for campaigns. But KK built up UNIP. It would be madness to abandone UNIP instead of KK using BWEZANI to prop up UNIP, at least it could make sense, at least a little sense to rise up the FOSSIL called UNIP.

  30. KK killed more people than any leader in Zambia so stop portraying a wrong picture to mislead people. FTJ did not kill Wezi. KK is just evil to exhibit such hate to FTJ and yet he professes to a christian. Shame on KK and his KK wamuyaya so it was’nt wamuyaya after all

    • @Kani you sound exactly like what I would say. KK wants to play innocent and yet some of us our relatives disappear during his leadership and found dead after some days dumped somewhere, I won’t say much.

  31. MAJ. WEZI KAUNDA WAS A GOOD GUY TO BE WITH. AT UNZA HE WAS VERY KEEN IN SPORTS. AT ONE TIME HE USED HIS INFLUENCE TO HAVE UNZA TEAMS TRAVEL TO CUBA FOR VARIOUS SPORTING EVENTS. DURING MOBILISATION HE WAS EVEN PROMOTED FROM CAPTAIN TO MAJOR DUE TO OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. I MISS SUCH COMMITTED PEOPLE.

  32. I knew Wezi since secondary school days in Chikuni. He was a shrewed fellow, man of action although I personally found him at times to be too strongly opinionated and a bit too quick to bring in the family name when differences of opinion arose. He was however still a far much better person than these clowns like FTJ & RB who think they can continue to fool us all the time & continue wasting the nation’s precious resources on mediocrity.

  33. i dont care about this crap! give us important news please! let the dead bury the dead. we are living people we got a lot to achieve. lets not live in the past. va mambala imwe! good morning katalina my sweet cornflakes.. how are you u sweet creamy dounghut? had sweet dreams of you u ka baybay. awe am in love bane.nizee

  34. Thot this was a done and closed chapter.Surprising to see that 11 years later we still have the matter before court.M.H.S.R.I.P.

  35. Mr Justice Sakala asked Mulenga if he had consulted widely before he decided to drop the appeal and Mulenga said he had and that he did it because of his troubled conscience. I wouldn’t be surprise if the political engineer was consulted.

  36. he has been paid to confess and emphasise that he was not hired, next week he will have a new identity and be relocated to somewhere nicer….

  37. Why are Zambians so full of suspicions? Is it because they are themselves such schemers that they can’t stomach the thought of a person genuinely feeling guilty for his/her acts? Which rat are you smelling from that confession apart from the fact that you can’t accept the possibility of Kafupi being innocent?

  38. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another seven years to get the judgement on the appeal.
    ……So they drove to his house to carry out the robbery. Nothing random here. At the very least , he was targeted.

  39. Chiluba had Wezi killed as Late Wezi would have beaten The bandit Chiluba in 1996 election.this whole issue is stage managed by the MMD to bring him back to good books so the Zambians could forget the 46million USD he looted.Clever bandit.

  40. You have to be a car thief to know how they operate. Ofcourse they plan and have targets as well as financial costs (taxi) to follow their prospective targets depending on market demand. S…t just happened !!!! Apart from accusations of Hefty Jay involvement or Mulenga being guilty concious,There could be visitations from beyond the grave. This confession should allow his soul to rest eternally.

  41. Is Wezi the same guy who killed a Zambia Airways employee-girl? One of KK’s sons was after this girl. However, this girl had a fiancee who by that time used to study abroad. Apparently, he came for his holiday and at the end of his holiday a party was thrown for him at the said girl’s flat in Chelston. According to the story when the drinks finished the guy and his girl friend went to a nearby compound to look for mosi. When they left KK’s son came to this girl’s flat with a concealed pistol. When he didn’t find them he picked up a boy who knew where they headed. Upon seing them KK’s son who meant to shoot down the guy missed and instead shot the girl dead. Is he the chap (Wezi) who was killed by this Mulenga?

  42. WHY WHY WHY WHY PLZ MAY SOMEONE HELP ME EVERY BAD THING I HEAR OR READ IN THE MEDIA ITS GOT TO BE A BEMBA, GBM BATTERS WIFE,FTJ IS A THIEF ,PATRICK MUSONDA SHOOTS,FAUSTTEN KABWE ACESS FINES STEALS, WHY US BEMBAS ONLY, WHY CANT WE HEAR A TONGA OR LOZI STEALING, THIS PISCES ME OFF AND I WISH I CAN REMOVE THE BEMBA TAG OF NEGATIVE PERCEPTION AS UNTRUSTWORTH PEOPLE. SO ANOYING

  43. Ba Peter # 51,

    Kambarage the adopted son of Dr.Kaunda is not same as late Major NgwaWezi Kaunda. Kambarage Kaunda is the one that served in jail and has since his acquittal settled in Angola where he is a free and sucessful big businessman since 1995. He only goes to see his family in Zambia on an average of 1 or twice a year.On the other hand, Major NgwaWezi Kaunda was a an educated political scientist, economist and lawyer. For his school he went through Chikuni, UNZA and the UK where he did his Graduate studies. He served the country as a career army officer in Mufulira, Lusaka ending up as a two term MP for Malambo constituency and minister of state in the Home office. He died as an MP and active politician on November 3rd, 1999 of some gun shoots.

  44. BUSAKILE MAN and Peter,

    It was neither Col. Panji Kaunda or Major NgwaWezi Kaunda involved in the fate of Miss Mwanza taken off by a bullet on that dark night in Chelston. It was their youngest brother Kambarage Kaunda. Major NgwaWezi Kaunda is the one Kaweche Kaunda follows andthe immediate young brother to Dr. Waza Kaunda.

  45. #57,Crucible of Leadership, Isn’t it Chola who is the adopted son. I thought Kambarage was Ken & Betty’s biological son.

  46. Umutima Wakanyelele,

    Very few people know that Kambarage is indeed an adopted son of the Kaundas. This is because the family never brings that out. He has been integrated very well in the family as youngest child.I’m even more shocked to learn that “Crucible of Leadership” knows this when not even some senior UNIP leaders knew it. Kambarage is indeed an adopted son of the Kaundas from Nigeria. He was given that name by late Tanzanian President Jurius Kambarage Nyerere.

    “Crucible of Leadership” we may be sharing some background. Would mind some private intros with me we may have been been on board together if you also had the opportunity in Europe and the USA.

  47. ONE BLOGGER LAST TIME SAID, A BEMBA MULI NACHITO……. AGREE WITH THAT BLOGGER. MOST OF THESE STORIES OF CORRUPTION/STEALING, KILLING, RAPE, ETC, YOU DISCOVER THAT A BEMBA IS INVOLVED! GUYS IMWE MULI NACHITO INDEED! OFF COURSE NOT ALL BUT MAJORITY MULI NA WORK :-?:-?:-?

  48. This confession is fake. Who will has confidence in our judiciary now? I can smell a rat! Chiluba and akulu mphuno are just trying to clear their names. Remember that RB was involved in this murder. At the time the murder was committed he had travelled to south africa on Chiluba’s ticket. Please note that this is not an opinion. It is true, and even Supa Ken knows this.

  49. Nos. 56 & 59 – You are both wrong! No. 58 is correct.

    Kambarage is a twin – the twin brother of Cheswa Kaunda (now Mrs Silwizya) so how can Kambarage be adopted? Kambarage is the biological son of KK and BK and his twin sister is Cheswa.

    The adopted son is Chola – indeed adopted from Biafra in Nigeria.

  50. #63 Proud Zambian I agree with you, Crucible of Leadership at #8 even talks about Ambassador George Zulu (when George was never Ambassador), I am sure he meant late Ambassador Boniface Zulu, guys have your facts.

  51. kaunda and all his kids did kill some innocent zambians at one time or the other , but none of the them ever spent a day in the zambian jail, why then should we have this poor guy in jail for 11 years for killing a killer. set the mulenga guy free .

  52. we need change and proper change.otherwise we shall start arming ourselves to the teeth if no change of govnt next year. we are tired beyond frustrated annoyed and sticking beyond annoyance with what is going on in the country.this all rubbish we need hard working people who shall move the country forward.
    it not about owning a house it about developing the country for our kids. look at dubai leaders are willing to work for the country. doing the right things

  53. OOH No. 4 You also worked at CAB? I remember the guy too and you are right he was a very polite guy who I can not imagine he could do such a thing.

  54. Wezi Kaunda is my father. I cannot explain in words how painful mine, and my family’s lives have been without him by our side. November 4, 1999 is a day I will remember forever. Those men took something from me that can NEVER be replaced. I Pray to God that even after all these years have gone by, I can find the courage to forgive these men. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DADDY.
    R.I.P

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