Killed for their body parts
The body of a male is carried from the spot where it was discovered by residents in George Township. Picture courtesy Chanda Mwenya JACK ZIMBA “THIS is where we found one of the bodies,” says Mason Zulu, pointing to a spot in the middle of a road that resembles a stream. The rains have washed the spot, and there is now no visible sign of the cruel crime it presented just a few days before. But the residents of Lilanda and neighbouring George townships are still reeling from the shock of the macabre sight of four disfigured bodies littered around the two sprawling townships, west of Lusaka. The four male victims were killed in the area or had their bodies dumped there by their assailants, who harvested some body parts – eyes, ears, tongues and sexual organs. Many residents link the murders to people seeking fortune charms from witchdoctors. All victims were poor and could not have been killed for their possessions. It also seems that the v...