BY LUCY PHIRI
A bus conductor of Lusaka’s Mtendere compound has found himself in hot soap after he almost slashed his friend’s eye with a broken bottle on Christmas day.
Ben Maviya, 26, of unknown house number in Mtendere compound, is charged with unlawful wounding contrary to section 232(a) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Maviya appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Dominic Makalicha and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Witness in this matter, Muchuzi Simuchimba 27 of the same area said on December 25, 2021 he was attending a braai with his friend in PHI, and after drinking and eating the duo decided to leave for another place. They went to a Mwaiseni bar where they found a number of people enjoying themselves.
He said immediately he reached the place, he found his other friends who said they never wanted to drink with him and that he was not their friend, and started pushing him away.
“Ben said I wasn’t his friend and started pushing me, I mistakenly broke the bottle of black label which was on the table and that’s how the whole team pounced on me until the bar owner rescued me.
We found ourselves outside and that’s how Ben hit me with the same broken bottle of beer on my right eye,’’ he said.
Simuchimba said he then reported the matter to the police and he was issued a medical report which confirmed the injuries.
The matter will come up on February 10 for continuation of trial.
