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The Lusaka High Court has heard that two bullets withdrawn from Northmead Police Post on the day Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director General, Guntila Muleya, was allegedly abducted and killed were never returned—a discrepancy that raised serious questions during cross-examination of a key state witness.
Police reserve officer, William Shawa, admitted under intense questioning that he failed to document the return of the bullets or record the serial numbers of the AK-47 rifle he checked out on July 18 and July 23, 2024—dates surrounding the attempted and actual apprehension of Muleya, who was later found dead.
Shawa testified that he was instructed to withdraw the weapon by one of the accused, police officer Alex Caleb Zulu.
He stated that six bullets were withdrawn across both dates—four on July 18 and two on July 23—but only four were entered in the occurrence book.
He admitted the remaining two bullets, which he said were given to him by Zulu, were never documented or returned.
“I knew the extra two were for Zulu,” Shawa told the court, adding that although he verbally informed a senior officer, he did not make a written entry.
Defense lawyer Chawezi Ngoma grilled Shawa on discrepancies between his testimony in court and the statement he gave to police shortly after the incident. While his original statement claimed the bullets had been returned, in court he admitted they were not.
“You agree that on July 23, what you told the court differs from what you told police four days after the incident?” Ngoma asked.
“What I said yesterday is the truth. I was not free at the time I gave the first statement. I was sick and afraid,” Shawa responded.
He further stated that he rushed the initial statement due to fear for his safety and a need to return home to a sick child.
“This is not about protecting myself. I’m telling the truth now,” he said.
Shawa became emotional when asked to identify the accused in the dock. Tearfully, he explained:
“I said I’m sorry because I had no option but to say the truth.”
It was revealed that he was still in possession of the same AK-47 during the identification process, prompting the defense to question his role in Muleya’s apprehension.
“You were carrying the same weapon during the identification. Doesn’t that raise questions about your role?” Ngoma asked.
Shawa denied using the weapon to harm Muleya and said he did not witness any of the accused commit a crime.
The court also heard that on July 18, during the first attempted apprehension, Shawa failed to record the return of the firearm and ammunition. He claimed to have verbally informed the officer in charge but admitted that no official entry was made.
“You agree that without an entry, there is no proof the firearm was returned?”
“Yes, I didn’t follow procedure,” he responded.
Shawa confirmed he was not present when Muleya was killed and did not witness Zulu or M’thusani Dokowe commit any offence.
The court also heard that Shawa received K1,000 via Airtel Mobile Money, allegedly for fuel and bread. He claimed the money came from a woman whose surname matched one of the accused. He did not return the money and was unable to produce transaction records.
He further testified that he had been beaten and confused during his initial detention, which affected his original statement’s coherence. He has since been held in a protected location for 10 months after police warned that the public might view him as a suspect.
The case involves four accused persons: police officers M’thusani Dokowe and Alex Caleb Zulu, systems engineer Samuel Dokowe Basa, and IBA accountant Francis Chipyoka. All face a murder charge in connection with Muleya’s death.
Trial continues on May 19, 2025.
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