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A Lusaka father has given a detailed account before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court of how a supposed family outing allegedly escalated into a case of child trafficking and sexual abuse involving his 14-year-old daughter.
The case centres on Chileya Chilufya, who is jointly charged with Natasha Chileshe and Chileshe Mwinji. The three have pleaded not guilty to trafficking a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
According to the father’s testimony, the girl was allegedly taken by her cousin, Natasha Chileshe, under the guise of going to Cosmopolitan Mall to buy food.
Instead, the court heard, she was taken to Chilufya’s residence, where the alleged offence is said to have occurred.
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He told the court that the child’s behaviour changed drastically after the incident, including refusing to attend school.
Her withdrawal raised alarm, leading to questioning by her parents, after which she disclosed what had allegedly happened.
The matter was subsequently reported at Kanyama Police Station, where initial investigations were launched.
The court heard that during police questioning, Natasha Chileshe allegedly failed to identify the suspect, only stating that he was linked to someone named Eva Chileshe.
The father testified that medical examinations were conducted at Kanyama Level One Hospital following a police referral.
He further told the court that he later received phone calls allegedly from Chilufya, during which the accused expressed regret and suggested resolving the matter through compensation.
The father said he recorded several of these calls and handed the audio files—nine in total—to investigators.
He also recounted that although he previously had cordial business dealings with Chilufya, he collaborated with law enforcement officers to help locate and apprehend him once the allegations surfaced.
The court further heard that after Chilufya was released from police custody, he allegedly made additional attempts to contact the father in an effort to “resolve” the matter.
All nine recorded calls have been submitted to police as part of the ongoing investigation.
The case has been adjourned to May 6, 2026 for continuation of trial.
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