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A forensic ballistics expert has ruled out the possibility that former Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Commander, Lieutenant General Ronald Shikapwasha, shot himself—casting serious doubt on any suggestion of suicide in the high-profile case.
Inspector Isaac Kalimanshila, a forensic ballistic expert with the Zambia Police Service, testified before the Lusaka High Court where Jane Lusengo stands accused of murdering her husband using a double-barrel shotgun.
The shooting occurred on January 15, 2024. Shikapwasha later succumbed to his injuries at Maina Soko Military Hospital.
Read more: Witness gives emotional testimony on Ex-ZAF commander, Shikapwasha’s fatal shooting
According to Kalimanshila, the close-contact gunshot wound to Shikapwasha’s left abdomen could not have been self-inflicted—particularly with a firearm as lengthy and complex as the Spanish-made double-barrel smoothbore shotgun recovered at the scene.
“What happens when a person tries to pull the trigger on himself? It can’t happen,” Kalimanshila said bluntly when asked if the fatal wound could have been self-inflicted.
He explained that the shotgun, bearing serial number 168462, was in good working condition.
Both the safety catch and the dual trigger mechanism were functional. The front trigger fired the right barrel; the rear fired the left.
As part of the forensic investigation, Kalimanshila conducted controlled test firings. The pellets retrieved from those tests matched those extracted from the former Air Force commander’s body.
A total of 21 pellets were recovered—some deformed, others circular. Eight were surgically removed while Shikapwasha was still alive, and 13 were recovered during the postmortem.
Ballistic comparison revealed “distinct, individual matching characteristics” between the test cartridges and the one that caused the fatal wound, confirming the shot came from the shotgun’s right barrel.
Kalimanshila further testified that the bullet’s trajectory and damage to Shikapwasha’s torn white t-shirt suggested the shot was fired from close range, at a steep left-to-right angle of less than 15 degrees.
Ultraviolet light analysis showed a dense concentration of gunshot residue around a triangular-shaped hole in the t-shirt.
“The absence of stippling, pellet spray, tattooing or blackening around the wound or shirt, and the presence of bullet wipe under UV light all indicate a close-contact shot,” he said.
No fingerprints or gunshot residue were found on the firearm or the victim’s clothing. Kalimanshila attributed this to environmental degradation: “When residue or prints are exposed to moisture or air, they are easily destroyed or fall off.”
Shikapwasha was found wearing multiple layers, including black trousers, a chitenge jacket, a white vest, and a navy-blue shirt.
While no gunshot damage was observed on those items, suspected bloodstains were collected for further forensic analysis. The torn white t-shirt, however, showed clear signs of ballistic impact.
Kalimanshila emphasized that the shotgun, which measures 1.13 meters in overall length with a 70-centimeter barrel, would have been practically impossible for Shikapwasha to use to shoot himself, given the angle, entry point, and trigger operation required.
The weapon, which fires 18.5-millimeter caliber shells, is classified as a restricted firearm in Zambia and is considered a “dangerous commercial weapon capable of causing panic, injury or death.”
Kalimanshila noted it should only be in the possession of licensed individuals.
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