Family forgives ‘killer’ prayer warrior
By Charles Musonda
THE family of the man who died in his house and his wife kept his skeleton for two years says it has forgiven the woman, who was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a Lusaka magistrates court Wednesday.
“We have forgiven our sister-in-law, Sylvia Mutaba, because there is nothing we can do as we have already lost out, said Davies Kalaba, brother of the late George Kalaba whose skeletal remains were found on his matrimonial bed in Lusaka’s Garden Compound last year.
In an interview after Mutaba was jailed for causing the death of her husband George Kalaba, Davies said he and his family would focus on looking after the four children their relative has left behind, who will now suffer the absence of their mother.
“The law has prevailed and justice has been done. There is nothing I can dispute because that is what is there. We will try to see who is going to keep the children. I will try by all means to bring them closer because they need a father even if their biological father is not there,” he said.
“We will sit down with the family to see how we are going to harmonise everything. We have forgiven her as a family and there is nothing we can do. We have already lost out and we just look up to God himself.”
Handing down the sentence Wednesday afternoon, Lusaka High Court judge Anna Malata-Ananoju found that Mutaba’s negligence caused her husband’s death because she preferred prayers for him instead of seeking medical attention even when it had become evident that his health had deteriorated.
Justice Malata-Ananoju said medical facilities were within walkable distance. The issue of financial constraints could therefore not arise because Mutaba had been collecting rentals from her tenant.
She said by choosing prayers alone instead of seeking medical attention for her husband, Mutaba failed to discharge her legal duty of caring for the now dead Kalaba.
As a result of her gross negligence he died.
Justice Malata-Ananujo said marriage was not treated as an ordinary contract. There was corroborated evidence that Mutaba was aware that her husband was unwell before he died.
“Having carefully considered evidence on record, the court is satisfied that the prosecution has proved the charge of manslaughter beyond reasonable doubt and I find the accused guilty of manslaughter and convict her accordingly,” Justice Ananujo said.
