The LRF Newsletter

Kabwe woman had her late husbands motor bike saved from being grabbed by her father- in- law with the intervention of Legal Resources Foundation (LRF).

Ester Banda, 38, of Nagoli Compound in Kabwe who lost her husband, Chuweli Banda, on 5th April 2000 said her husband left her with four children.

A week after her husbands death, Mr Lucky Banda the uncle to the deceased told Ester to give him the motor bike the only asset his nephew left behind.

The family survived on making pots and braziers for sell before the death of Chuweli.

When Lucky could not find the motor bike at Esters house, he reported the matter to the Victim Support Unit (VSU) at one of the police stations in Kabwe. Lucky told the police that since he raised his nephew up, he wanted something to remember him on. The police officers at the VSU advised Ester to give Lucky the motor bike.

Back at home, Lucky threatened to evict Ester from the house, which belonged to her late husband’s brother, who lives in Mumbwa, if she did not surrender the bike.

Because of the threats Ester released the motor bike to him. Initially Ester intended to sell the motor bike in order to raise money to enable her start a business.

Ester reported the matter to her mother in-law who is Lucky’s sister. Her mother- in-law, Fanneli Banda, travelled from Mufulira to Kabwe to order her brother to give back the motor bike to Ester.

Ester and Fanneli approached Kabwe Legal Advice Centre to assist them retrieve the motor bike.

Michael Mwanza a paralegal at the centre said he requested the attendance of Lucky who claimed that he grabbed the motor bike and ordered Ester out of the house because when his nephew got sick, Ester never informed him about the illness.

“When Chuweli was in hospital Ester never visited him. Only my wife and I took care of Chuweli,” he said. He claimed that he wanted to sell the bike in order to raise money to pay debts left by Chuweli.

Fanneli knew that her brother was lying because during Chuweli’s illness, she and her daughter in-law took care of him.

Mwanza asked the two parties to go to the local court to have an Administrator appointed. Lucky was also cautioned not to dispose off the motor bike until the matter is resolved amicably.