August 2006

Epileptic Inmate Seeks LRF Help
By Perpetual Sichikwenkwe in Mongu
AN inmate at Mongu Central Prison, who is suffering from epilepsy and becomes unconscious every time she appears before the court, has asked the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) to help her come out of prison.
Josephine Museke Mukonda, 36, says she needs assistance from LRF because every time she is scheduled to appear before the court she develops fits and fails to give her side of the story in the court.
Mukonda is charged with murdering Lupale Biemba in Kaoma in March 2004.
She told LRF Mongu Paralegal Joe Mulafulafu, who visited her at the prison, that she was married at Katunda in Chinoya village in Kaoma district to Mundele Ngundu but they divorced in 2004.
Mukonda decided to go to her parents in Maheba Refugee Camp in Solwezi and went to Kaoma Police Staion to ask for transport to take her to Maheba with her four children.
She was advised to seek help from Mayukwayukwa Refugee Camp where it was agreed that she would be given transport.
While at Mayukwayukwa on a date she cannot remember , she had a seizure and when she came back to normal, she was informed that she had chased after a man who was passing by and hit him with a hoe and the victim, who was identified as Biemba, fell to the ground and was unconscious.
Mukonda became unconscious for the second time and she was put on the same vehicle with Biemba and taken to the hospital.
However, when the vehicle reached the gate of Mangango Mission Hospital, both Biemba and Mukonda regained consciousness but a short while later they both again became unconsicious.
In the evening of the same day, Biemba died and Makonda was taken to Mangango Police Post where she was detained but was later transferred to Kaoma Police Station. Makonda was informed that Biemba died as a result of the injury he sustained after she hit him with a hoe.
She was caused to appear before Kaoma surbordinate court in April 2004 but before she could say anything in the dock, she had another seizure.
In July 2004, she was transferred to Mongu Central Prison and in August 2004 she appeared before Mongu High Court but could not testify as she had another seizure in court.
The court ordered that she be taken to Chainama Hospital in Lusaka for medical examination.
She was taken to Chainama in February 2005 where she stayed up to February this year.
Makonda said at Chainama, she was informed that she was sane but was suffering from epilepsy.
In March 2006, Makonda was again taken before the Mongu high court but her trial did not take off.
Mukonda says she does not know when her case will come before the court and wants LRF to intervene in the matter.
Mulafulafu said the matter is being followed up with the prosecution and prison authorities.