Horror in the High Court: Woman Charged with Gruesome Murder of Husband's Two Children

A disturbing case involving alleged jealousy within a polygamous marriage has escalated to the High Court in Lusaka, where a 26-year-old woman, Mary Kashilika, has been committed for trial on two counts of murder. Kashilika, residing in Meanwood Kwamwena Phase Four, is accused of the alleged murder of her husband’s two young children, a case that has drawn significant attention due to its tragic circumstances.

The commitment for plea and trial was formally made by Magistrate Nthandose Chabala at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, following the receipt of a certificate from the Director of Public Prosecutions confirming the readiness of the case for High Court proceedings. The prosecution alleges that on February 25, 2026, Mary Kashilika murdered six-year-old Mathias Kamanga and two-year-old Tifiness Kamanga by throwing them into the Ngwerere Stream. While the body of Mathias Kamanga was subsequently recovered from the stream, the body of his younger sister, Tifiness Kamanga, has yet to be found.

The incident was initially reported to the police by the children’s father, Titus Kamanga. He accused Kashilika, who is his second wife, of throwing the children—who were born to his first wife—into the stream. Investigators believe that the tragic event is directly linked to domestic tensions and disputes that allegedly arose between the two wives within the polygamous marriage, highlighting a darker side of such family structures.

Further details from the police investigation reveal the sequence of events on the day of the incident. Titus Kamanga was reportedly at work, and the children’s biological mother was engaged in household chores when the children went missing. It is alleged that the mother, upon hearing cries, followed the sounds emanating from the direction of the Ngwerere Stream. Crucially, a fisherman reportedly witnessed Kashilika in the act of throwing the children into the water. The fisherman is said to have apprehended Kashilika immediately after the incident before alerting the authorities, providing a key piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation.

With all formalities now complete at the Magistrates’ Court level, the case will now proceed to the High Court where Mary Kashilika will face her plea and trial for the alleged double murder. This marks a critical phase in the legal proceedings of a case that has deeply affected the community and brought to light complex domestic issues.