Lusaka — CHEIF Nshimba of Lake Mweru's Kilwa island in Luapula has been arrested and detained for murder.

It is alleged that on an unknown date in 1998, chief Nshimba instructed four of his counsellors, including Bernard Mpundu, Wilson Chansa and two others now dead, to kill a woman only known as Bana Mwape of Nshimba village.

The chief is further alleged to have instructed the four counsellors to remove the woman's private parts which were to be handed over to him.

The said counsellors are alleged to have trailed and stalked the woman and dragged her from the village to a nearby bush where she was hit on the head with an axe handle by Mpundu. Mpundu has also been arrested, detained and has been jointly charged with chief Nshimba for murder. Confirming the arrest of chief Nshimba who is being detained by Nchelenge police, police spokesperson Brenda Muntemba said on December 23, 2002, at Nchelenge police station, Wilson Chansa gave a statement to the police in which he revealed how the woman was murdered and her private parts removed.

"Since Mr. Wilson Chansa is an accomplice, investigations have continued in order to find collaborating evidence which we believe will be forthcoming," she said. Muntemba said chief Nshimba has been implicated in numerous ritual murders but has only survived on mere technicalities.

"For instance, in a ritual murder at Kabeke village in 1998, other people were convicted of murder by the Mansa High Court and the chief was spared because his involvement was not mentioned in court," Muntemba said.

"Similarly in a ritual murder in 1999 in Mununga, chief Nshimba escaped prosecution in Mansa High Court because there was no evidence to connect him to the case even though it was generally agreed that he had a hand in it, and yet other people were convicted and are serving sentences."

Muntemba said the police had other criminal reports against chief Nshimba which were being investigated. The cases include collecting revenue and squandering the money, witchcraft divining and illegal possession of firearms. Other cases against chief Nshimba are malicious damage to people's property, harbouring illegal immigrants and assaults occasioning actual bodily harm to people.

Chief Nshimba's arrest comes barely two weeks after the jailing of another chief in Northern Province for assault. Chief Mukwikile of Chinsali was jailed for two-and-half years with hard labour after being convicted of assault.

He was found guilty on three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm by Chinsali magistrate Jacob Mbolela on December 13, 2002. Meanwhile, police in Chipata have recovered two AK-47 rifles and 198 rounds of ammunition. Muntemba said this happened when a police patrol saw two men carrying a huge bag.

He said the duo bolted and dropped the bag when the patrol team challenged them to stop. On the renewal of motor vehicle road licences, Muntemba has advised motorists not to accept to pay any fines to traffic officers because the two-week grace period for renewal was still in effect. She said traffic officers should just issue verbal warning and not to ask motorists to pay.