Family Alleges Relative’s Involvement in Death of Six-Year-Old Girl in Kitwe

The family of six-year-old Scholastica Mulenga, who was found dead after allegedly being defiled in Kitwe’s Ipusukilo Township, has claimed that a relative may be responsible for the incident.

Speaking in an interview, family members said suspicion has fallen on Yowani Bwalya, described as the child’s mother’s cousin, who is reportedly on the run together with his own mother. The family alleged that Bwalya is a former convict who previously served time for a similar offence but was pardoned in 2023.

The child’s uncle, Lawrence Mulenga, said the family only became aware of Bwalya’s alleged criminal history recently. He explained that the children were often left at their grandmother’s home while their mother was at work, unaware of any potential risk.

According to the family, on Friday, February 6, 2026, the child was at her grandmother’s home when she said she was hungry and asked for food shortly before she went missing around 11:00 hours. Her disappearance was only reported to relatives and police later that evening when she failed to return.

Mulenga said family members began searching for the child and reported the matter to several police stations. He claimed that Bwalya initially assisted in the search but later disappeared the same night and has not been seen since.

The family alleged that after the child was found dead the following day in an unfinished building, some relatives forced entry into Bwalya’s room, where they claimed to have discovered blood stains and other items they believed could be linked to the incident.

They also alleged that the suspect’s mother was seen removing belongings from the room before she too disappeared. Community members later destroyed her house amid suspicions that she knew her son’s whereabouts.

The family has appealed to police and members of the public to help locate the suspect, saying they want justice for the child.

The girl’s body was discovered on Saturday, February 7, 2026, after she had been reported missing the previous day. Police investigations into the matter are ongoing.