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The Lusaka High Court has heard testimony about the discovery of George Kalaba’s skeletal remains, which were allegedly kept hidden by his wife for two years after his death.
The testimony was delivered by Kalaba’s elder brother, Emmanuel Kalaba, who narrated how the family’s suspicions gradually led to a horrifying discovery in January 2025 at a house in Garden Township.
Sylvia Mutaba, 52, stands accused of manslaughter in connection with the death of her husband, George Kalaba, a former Zanaco employee who was reportedly unwell and withdrawn in his final days.
According to Emmanuel, who described his late brother as “medium-sized and brown in complexion,” the family had lost touch with George around 2023.
When friends and relatives attempted on make contact, Sylvia repeatedly claimed he was either at church or unavailable.
The breakthrough came on Sunday, January 12, 2025, when Emmanuel received a call from a family friend who said people from George’s old neighborhood were looking for him.
Suspicious, Emmanuel attempted to call Sylvia several times without success. He eventually went to the house in Garden Luangwa with his grandchild, only to be met with silence despite knocking for several minutes.
He was advised by a tenant to report the matter to the police. The following day, he accompanied officers to the property with a search warrant. Sylvia initially refused to cooperate, prompting police to force their way inside.
Once inside, officers found Sylvia and her children, who began shouting until they were shown the warrant. Sylvia was confronted about her husband’s whereabouts and replied cryptically, “The person you are looking for is not here.”
Moments later, officers entered the bedroom,what they found shocked them.
“There was a skeleton lying on the bed,” Emmanuel told the court. “The bed was nicely spread, the head was facing the door. There were stains on the bed that looked like oil or urine, as if it made a map. The room was neat, with clothes and a shoe rack in place.”
He said the skull, ribs, and jawbone clearly indicated it was a human skeleton, one he believed to be his brother’s.
The police called in forensic experts, who collected samples and transported the remains wrapped in a mattress and bedsheets to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for examination. The remains were later buried at Mutumbi Cemetery.
Danny Mubanga ,a tenant living in a cottage on the same property, also testified. He stated that he had last seen George in September 2023, surrounded by a few friends. Since then, George had not been seen again, though his wife assured neighbors he was fine.
“I kept asking about him, but she always said he was getting better,” said Mubanga, a carpenter. “I haven’t seen George in two years. When someone knocked at his door, they would just peek from the window and not open.”
Mubanga said there were no unusual signs in the home as Sylvia would often pray, sometimes with a friend, and the children were seen playing music. He added that Sylvia refused to let her children’s friends inside the main house.
In cross-examination, Mubanga admitted that his work routine meant he was often away from home between 06:00 and 18:00, except on weekends.
He acknowledged he did not know precisely what transpired inside the main house during the weekdays.
The defence pointed out that George’s relatives had not visited him for nearly a decade and suggested that Mubanga’s testimony was largely based on speculation.
Despite that, Mubanga confirmed that Sylvia collected rent from him until recently and that he currently stays at the property without paying.
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