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With his head bowed and on his knees before the court, Benny Kasongo pleaded for mercy after being found guilty of falsely claiming that his genitalia had disappeared during a ride on a public bus from Kanyama to Lusaka’s central business district.
Kasongo apologised to the man he had wrongly accused, John Ngufumali, 45, a police officer, and also asked the nation to forgive him for the alarm and panic his claims had caused.
This followed a ruling by Lusaka Magistrate Martin Namushi, who convicted Kasongo of giving false information to a public officer after finding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
His co-accused, Justine Banda, 31, and Alfred Mwenge, 19, a Grade 12 pupil, admitted the charge before trial commenced and were each fined K650.
Kasongo, however, maintained his innocence and opted to stand trial.
The court heard that on March 22, 2026, Ngufumali boarded a public bus from Kanyama to Lusaka’s central business district.
After paying his K50 bus fare, he tapped Kasongo, who was seated in front of him, on the shoulder and asked him to collect his change from the conductor.
Moments later, Kasongo raised an alarm, claiming that his penis and testicles had disappeared after Ngufumali touched him, triggering panic among passengers.
The situation quickly descended into chaos, with members of the public nearly attacking Ngufumali after believing the allegation.
Acting swiftly, the bus driver drove the vehicle to Lusaka Central Police Station after Ngufumali suggested that the matter be reported to the police.
According to testimony, Kasongo and his co-accused informed Inspector Kazembe at the police station that their private parts had disappeared.
Police immediately verified the claims and established that all those involved had their genitalia intact.
Kasongo was subsequently referred for a medical examination at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), which confirmed that he had no physical abnormalities.
Testifying during the trial, Ngufumali told the court that he remained calm throughout the ordeal and urged fellow passengers to report the matter to the police instead of taking the law into their own hands.
He maintained that he had done nothing wrong and had merely tapped Kasongo to assist him in collecting his change from the conductor.
In delivering judgment, Magistrate Namushi said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kasongo knowingly gave false information to a public officer.
The court relied on a medical report from UTH, which confirmed that Kasongo’s genitalia were intact and in their normal condition.
In his defence, Kasongo changed his account, telling the court that his genitalia had not disappeared but had instead abnormally shrunk.
However, the magistrate held that this admission demonstrated that Kasongo knew his earlier report was false.
The court adjourned sentencing to June 30, with Kasongo remaining in custody pending sentence.
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