CHILENJE MAID FACES COURT

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Posted by admin on September 5, 2025 at 5:49 AM

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A maid from Chilenje Township, identified as Bathsheba Phiri, is currently facing trial in the Lusaka Magistrate Court for allegedly stabbing her employer’s eight-year-old daughter in the face with a kitchen knife.

Phiri, who is in her 20s, has been charged with assault on a child, a serious offence under the Children’s Code Act, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of five years imprisonment upon conviction.

The incident allegedly occurred on March 31, 2025, while Phiri was preparing vegetables. According to testimony heard in court, the child had approached the maid to play, but Phiri, reportedly uninterested, reacted violently and stabbed the girl in the face.

Phiri pleaded not guilty when she first appeared before Magistrate Idah Phiri, and the trial commenced with witness testimony presented during yesterday’s proceedings.

The case has drawn public concern over child safety and domestic worker conduct, especially in urban households. The victim’s condition has not been publicly disclosed, but sources indicate she received medical attention following the incident.The trial is scheduled to continue on 18 September 2025, with further witness statements and cross-examinations expected.