THE Lusaka magistrate's court has ordered the prosecution team to bring before court five suspected murderers of a 28-year-old taxi driver, Joseph Simfukwe whose head was allegedly cut off by his assailants.

This was after the accused persons did not appear in court when the matter was called for mention.

Resident Magistrate Nsunge Chanda instructed the prosecution team to make a follow up on their absence, saying she could not sign a warrant for the accused persons without seeing them in court.

Maybin Kapokola, 29, who was recently ordered to go to Chainama Hospital for determination of his mental status after he exhibited signs of insanity in court is jointly charged with Chripine Siakonde, 26, Peter Sikangila, 42, and Jimmy Sianjanika, 37 for the murder of Simfukwe.

And a Mpika woman who killed her 81-year-old husband after stoning him and pulling his manhood has been sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour by the Kasama High Court.

Judge Timothy Katanekwa in sentencing Margaret Chota, 53, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, said cases of gender-based violence needed to be discouraged.

Facts before court were that Chota, sometime last year, went for a drinking spree with her husband.

When they decided they had had enough beer, they left for home but on the way, Chota's husband accused the wife of being a prostitute and started beating her with his walking stick.

Chota in retaliation stoned her husband and pulled his manhood to make him stop beating her.