Police Officer to Stand Trial in 2020 Fatal Shootings

A police constable will face trial next month for the alleged murder of a public prosecutor and opposition supporter during political protests in 2020.

Fanwell Nyundu, now 29, has been ordered to present his defence starting 10 October after High Court Judge Egipso Mwansa ruled there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed.

Mr Nyundu stands accused of shooting dead public prosecutor Nsama Chipyoka UPND sympathiser Joseph Kaunda on 23 December 2020.

The shootings occurred when police were dispersing UPND supporters who had gathered at police headquarters in Lusaka to show solidarity with now President Hakainde Hichilema, who was then opposition leader.

Mr Chipyoka was shot near his workplace at the National Prosecutions Authority, while Mr Kaunda was killed in the same vicinity as police maintained order during the demonstration.

The case has faced significant delays since Mr Nyundu's arrest in early 2021. Originally assigned to Judge Joshua Banda in 2022, proceedings had to restart from the beginning when President Hichilema dismissed Judge Banda and reassigned the case to Judge Mwansa.

The change in judges meant all witnesses who had previously testified were recalled to give evidence again.

During the trial, arresting officer Buyoya Simunza testified that ballistic evidence linked Mr Nyundu's service weapon to both deaths. Investigations revealed that the same bullet that killed Mr Kaunda also fatally wounded Mr Chipyoka.

Mr Nyundu was a member of the elite police "crack squad" at the time of the alleged shootings.