GPS evidence links accused, Zulu, to site of IBA boss, Muleya’s murder

A GPS tracking report presented in the Lusaka High Court has placed a hired vehicle used by accused police officer, Caleb Zulu, at key locations connected to the abduction and subsequent murder of Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director General Guntila Muleya on July 23, 2024.

The detailed tracking log showed that the Toyota RAV4, hired from Opulent Car Hire and Tours, was driven from Avondale around 07:48 hours and moved through several Lusaka locations before stopping at Mika Convention Center, the site where Muleya was allegedly abducted. The vehicle later proceeded to Njolwe area in Chongwe, where Muleya was later found shot dead.

Comfort Choolwe, an IT specialist and Director of Opulent Car Hire, testified that the vehicle’s movements were tracked using a GPS system integrated with Google Maps.

Read more: Mother weeps in court as witnesses recount chilling abduction, murder of IBA Director General, Muleya

At around 18:46 hours, the car was recorded at Mika Convention Center. From there, it journeyed through Great East Road, East Park, Kabulonga, and finally reached Njolwe at 20:27 hours — where the tracking signal became unstable due to poor network coverage.

The GPS data revealed the car was motionless in Njolwe for several durations, including one lasting over eight minutes, raising suspicion that it may have been involved in the crime at the time Muleya was killed.

After leaving Njolwe, the car returned to Lusaka and was tracked through various locations, including Woodlands, Rhodes Park, Kabwata, and Avondale, where it remained stationary for over 15 hours on Mupani Avenue. Other short parking instances were recorded throughout the city on the same day.

Defence counsel, Sokwana Lukangaba, asked for an adjournment, citing difficulty in following the extensive evidence without visual aids. He requested copies of the tracking data and permission to consult IT experts. The State did not object, acknowledging the volume of material.

The court granted the adjournment, setting the next hearing for July 23 at 09:00 hours.

Zulu is jointly charged with fellow officer, M’tse Dokowe, systems engineer, Samuel Baza Dokowe, along with IBA accountant, Francis Chipyoka. The four are accused of abducting and murdering Muleya. They have all pleaded not guilty.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.