An 18 year old man of Lusaka has faked his own death to avoid being prosecuted.

Emmanuel Belama is in this matter jointly charged with three others over alleged possessing of prescribed trophies.

When the matter came up for continued trial in February, 2022 before Lusaka resident magistrate Felix Kaoma, Belama was not in court.

One of his sureties Raymond Hakaloba informed the court that the accused was not present because he had allegedly died while in Katete in January this year.

The surety told the court that Belama’s two female relatives had given him the accused’s death certificate which he then presented before court.

Magistrate Kaoma then adjourned the case for return of bench warrant against Belama.

But when the case resumed on March 28, 2022 for return of bench warrant, a public prosecutor Aaron Tuntuluka informed the court that the accused was arrested from Katete and was before court.

The Prosecutor also informed the court that the accused’s death certificate was forged.

Magistrate Kaoma cancelled the accused’s police bond and discharged his sureties.

The two women who presented the forged death certificate to court will also be charged with uttering a false document.

Trial resumes on April 11, 2022.