Pathologist tells court IBA chief Muleya was likely assaulted before fatal shooting

A forensic pathologist has told the Lusaka High Court that slain Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director General Guntila Muleya may have been assaulted before he was fatally shot, with findings showing multiple injuries including bruises and gunshot wounds.

Testifying in a case where four men are charged with Muleya’s murder, forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Telendiy said a postmortem conducted on July 26, 2024, at the University Teaching Hospital mortuary established that the cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

“The cause of death was gunshot wounds to the chest and head,” Dr Telendiy told the court, adding that both injuries were independently fatal.

He explained that one bullet entered through the left side of the chest, perforating the chest wall and damaging the heart and right lung before exiting through the back, resulting in massive blood loss.

A second gunshot wound was recorded on the right side of the head, which Dr Telendiy described as a contact wound—meaning the firearm was discharged at very close range.

He said the bullet penetrated the skull and brain and exited through the face.

In addition to the fatal wounds, the body also had multiple bruises, including marks on the lower limbs, wrists, and lips.

“The body had bruises on the lower and upper lip, which could have been due to assault before death or when the person fell after being shot,” he said.

Dr Telendiy further testified that bruises on both wrists suggested the deceased may have been restrained.

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“I indicated that the hands were tied or handcuffed,” he told the court.

The court also heard that there was internal bleeding, including blood in the pericardium and the right pleural cavity, consistent with damage to the heart and lung.

Graphic photographs taken during the postmortem were admitted into evidence, prompting the court to warn the gallery about their disturbing nature. Family members wept quietly as the images projected in court illustrated the brutality of the killing.

Under cross-examination, Dr Telendiy confirmed that three gunshot wounds passed through the body—affecting the head, chest, and a finger—and that no bullets were recovered internally.

Accountant Francis Chipoyoka is jointly charged with police officers Basa Dokowe, Caleb Zulu, and systems engineer Samuel Dokowe. Muleya was abducted on July 23 and later killed, with his body discovered in Njolwe area of Chongwe.

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