A Lusaka High Court Judge has postponed ruling for Sylvia Mutaba of Lusaka’s Garden-Luangwa Township, the woman linked to the skeleton case.

Lusaka High Court Judge Anna Ononuju who postponed judgement, said that ruling in the matter would be read on Wednesday, February 25th, 2026.

Ms Mutaba is charged with manslaughter of her late husband, George Kalaba whose skeleton remains were discovered in their house in Garden-Luangwa Township.

The defendant has since been ordered to remain in custody as she awaits judgement.

Ms Mutaba who initially denied the offence was jointly charged with her three daughters and a neighbour, Preteria Mbandama Musela, for failure to report Mr Kalaba’s death.

After pleading guilty to a charge of hiding a death, the four co-accused were sentenced to one month imprisonment with hard labour.

Police in Mongu District in western province have arrested a 35-year-old man suspected of stealing a hammer mill.

 Western Province Police Commissioner, Rae Hamoonga, revealed that Mooto Mwangala was apprehended following investigations into the alleged theft and unlawful sale of the equipment.

 Mr Hamoonga disclosed that Mooto Mwangala of Kako Village under Chief Mulobela in Mongu District, was apprehended by police following investigations into the alleged theft and unlawful sale of a hammer mill belonging to the Mbekise Youth Club Lwandui Community.

“The suspect, identified as male, Mooto Mwangala, aged 35 of lwandui area, Kako village in Mongu District was apprehended following investigations into the alleged theft and unlawful sale of a hammer mill belonging to Mbekise Youth Club of Lwandui community,” he said.

He noted that the matter was initially reported by Mikataxo Sikena of Lwandui village in Mongu District.

The Police Commissioner added that the suspect allegedly sold the community hammer mill, which is valued at K60,000, without authority.

Further investigations revealed that the hammer mill was sold for K33,000 to Njekwa Sinyinda of Shishelwa Imalyo village, within Mongu District.

Mr Hamoonga said that the police have since recovered the hammer mill from Imalyo village and have secured it at Nakanya Police Post.

He added that the suspect was also found in possession of K23,270 cash, believed to be part of the money received from the sale of the hammer mill, and has been seized as exhibit.

Mr Hamoonga commended members of the public for promptly reporting the matter to the police.

“The Zambia Police Service wishes to commend members of the community for promptly reporting the matter and urges the public to safeguard community property,” Mr Hamoonga stated.

The suspect remains in police custody and will appear in court soon.

President Hakainde Hichilema has urged Zambians living in the diaspora to be patriotic and invest in their country.

The media reports that President Hichilema said Zambians must love their country regardless of where they are living and working from.

The President said the economic climate in Zambia is suitable for investment in various sectors of the economy.

He was speaking when he met Zambians living in Ethiopia.

He said his administration has managed to stabilise the micro economic fundamentals and is now on the economic growth trajectory.

The President implored Zambians living in Ethiopia, many of whom work in international organisations, to invest and prepare for their return back home.

And the President’s Economic Advisor, Pamela Nakamba said the government managed to rationalise spending to ensure no sector suffered during the difficult times.

Dr Nakamba said Zambia’s economy is now on the upswing, noting that many opportunities are available for investments.

Meanwhile, representative of Zambians living in Ethiopia, Moombe Hamaundu said Zambians would always endeavor to uphold the reputation of their country in diaspora.

Mr Hamaundu thanked President Hichilema for meeting Zambians in the diaspora.

President Hakainde Hichilema has called on African leaders to be intentional on what the continent needs to achieve in the area of health.

The media reports that President Hichilema has observed that Africa has lagged behind in many areas hence the need to speed up the processes of producing health products.

He was speaking today at the ACHIEVE Africa high-level Breakfast and Leadership Dialogue on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

ACHIEVE Africa is a cornerstone effort aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, outlining the continental ambition to produce 60 percent of Africa’s vaccines locally by 2040.

The President said time has come for Africa to secure its place in vaccine manufacturing, noting that the continent should accept the geopolitics that are happening around the world.

Mr Hichilema stated that Africa needs to innovate and invest in research and science in order to actualise the aspirations of the ACHIEVE Africa initiative and the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063.

“Zambia stands ready to support all institutions to ensure Africa succeeds in its agenda.

He added that Africa is at a defining moment hence the need to strengthen the medicine delivery chain.

President Hichilema added that collaboration is key in tackling health challenges facing the continent in order to respond appropriately.

And President of Ghana, John Mahama, said ACHIEVE Africa is a declaration of purpose by the continent to secure the health of the future generations.

President Mahama, who was represented by Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Akandoh, said African countries should collaborate more in promoting local manufacturing of medicines.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the International Vaccine Institute, Jerome Kim, outlined the vision of ACHIEVE Africa.

Dr Jerome, explained that ACHIEVE Africa, is a framework upon which many things can be built upon.

Earlier, Director General of the Zambia Public Health Institute, Roma Chilengi, who is also President’s Advisor on Health, said the recent experiences in the African continent should remind African countries of the need to be innovative and invest in science.

At the same Dialogue, President Hichilema officially launched the Africa’s Research and Development Engine for Vaccine and Therapeutic Sovereignty.

A former classmate to the late Mutumba Bull has described her as an intelligent individual.

Speaking from the funeral house, Dr Shimwaayi Muntemba said the late Dr Bull was a brilliant person academically.

The media reports that Dr Muntemba said her level of brilliance was a source of inspiration to girls at Chipembi Secondary School.

She further indicated that a lot of girls looked up to her during Secondary education.

Dr Muntemba also disclosed that late’s academic brilliance saw her being appointed as the School Head Girl.

She said teachers at Chipembi Girls Secondary School often used Dr Bull as a reference when counseling students to work hard.

Dr Muntemba said many students looked up to Dr Bull as a big sister.

Meanwhile, Dr Muntemba has encouraged the women folk to believe in themselves.

She said the late Dr Bull achieved so much in life because she believed in herself.

She expressed optimism that when women believe in themselves, they will excel politically and academically.

Dr Muntemba further encouraged women to support each in various spheres of life.

She noted that each time Dr Bull interacted with girls at Chipembi Secondary School, she often encouraged the girls to work hard so that they make it in life.

Dr Bull died last week on Friday the 13^th February after a short illness in Lusaka district.

In honour and recognition of her numerous and selfless contributions to the nation, President Hakainde Hichilema, has accorded the Late Dr. Mutumba Bull an official funeral.

The Funeral gathering for the Late Dr Bull is being held at her Residence, Plot No 3, Nyerere Road, Woodlands area in Lusaka district.

North-Western Provincial Child Development Coordinator, Chipoka Simukanga has noted with great concern the increasing number of children found on the streets across the region.

Speaking in an interview with the media in Solwezi district, Mr Simukanga said the particular concern is the growing presence of children engaged in picking bottles for resale, collecting scrap metal, and selling assorted items in busy trading areas.

Mr Simukanga said reports indicate that some of these children who claim to be attending school are being sent into the streets by adults to engage in income-generating activities.

“This situation is largely attributed to persistent poverty in some households, as well as cases of child neglect,” he said.

He stated that in a number of instances, parents and guardians are either unaware of, or are willfully allowing children to engage in street-based economic activities including selling goods that belong to other adults saying such practices expose children to exploitation, abuse and school disruption.

Mr Simukanga has strongly urged parents and guardians to prioritise the welfare and education of their children.

He said the government has created significant opportunities to support children’s education including the free education policy and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) school sponsorship programmes, the initiatives  intended to reduce the financial burden on families and ensure that no child is forced into the streets due to lack of school support.

Meanwhile, Mr Simukanga said that the Department of Child Development continues to support orphans and vulnerable children through the provision of essential school requisites, including books, pens, pencils, school bags, mathematical sets, and other learning materials.

He said the interventions are meant to keep children in school and safeguard their future.

“As the nation approaches the commemoration of the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) for 2026, under the theme “Safeguarding Children in Media and Beyond,” the department is calling upon media houses to play a proactive role in child protection.

Media institutions are encouraged to highlight the negative effects of Children being on streets and to provide safe and ethical platforms for them in order to share their lived experiences,” he said.

 Mr Simukanga has urged the media houses to amplify children’s voices by allowing them to speak about the challenges they encounter on the streets, the risks they face and the aspirations they hold for their future despite their current circumstances.

He warned that willful neglect of children by parents or guardians is an offence under the Children’s Code Act, saying appropriate action will be taken against individuals who deliberately expose children to harmful labor or deny them proper care and protection.

Mr Simukanga has further called on all stakeholders, parents, community leaders, schools, media houses and the general public to work together to protect children and ensure they grow up in safe, supportive, and nurturing environments.

The Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has attributed the rainfall activities being experienced across the country to the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is oscillating about the central and southern parts of the country.

The Department has further forecast that the rainfall activities are expected to continue up to Tuesday 17th February 2026.

According to the Weather Forecast issued by ZMD, valid from 15 to 17th February, rainfall activities are expected to continue over most parts of the country during the forecast period.

Meanwhile, the forecast for Sunday evening, 15^th February, shows that Northwestern, Western, North western, Copperbelt, Luapula, Northern and Muchinga Provinces, will be partly cloudy, slightly windy and mild with a chance of rain and thunder.

While Western, Southern, Lusaka, Central and Eastern Provinces are expected to be mainly cloudy, windy at times and mild with rain and occasional thunder.

The forecast for tomorrow Monday, 16^th February shows that Northwestern, Western, Southern, Lusaka, Central, Eastern, Muchinga, Northern, Luapula and Copperbelt Provinces will experience mornings that are partly cloudy, slightly windy, and mild to warm with isolated rain and occasional thunder adding that minimum temperature will range from 14°C to 20°C.

Afternoons for the cited provinces will be mainly cloudy, slightly windy and warm to hot with isolated Showers and thunderstorms with maximum temperature will range from 24°C to 32°C.

Evenings are forecast to be mainly cloudy, slightly windy and mild with isolated rain and occasional thunder.

Ten immigrants of Ethiopian origin have been apprehended in Isoka District in Muchinga Province following an operation conducted today, February 15, 2026.

In a statement made available to the issued to the media in Isoka district, Muchinga Provincial Commanding Officer, Dennis Moola said the suspects were intercepted around 06:35 hours at Isoka Police Security checkpoint in Mwaiseni Village in Chief Kafwimbi’s area along the Great North Road.

Mr Moola said the immigrants were found aboard a Tanzanian-registered truck, registration number T865 DCY and trailer number T834 DCU, belonging to Inara Investment Limited of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.

He explained that the truck was coming from Nakonde Border enroute to the Democratic Republic of Congo via Kasumbalesa Border.

“The driver became nervous and sped off after locking the doors, prompting officers to pursue the vehicle for about five kilometers,” he noted.

Mr Moola stated that officers were forced to fire warning shots before deflating one of the front tyres in order to stop the truck.

He said eight undocumented immigrants were discovered in the truck cabin while two others were found concealed in a compartment within the trailer, bringing the total number to 10.

“The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush,” Mr Moola added.

He said the suspects are currently detained at Isoka Police Station and will be handed over to the Department of Immigration for further action.

Mr Moola further disclosed that the truck, which was carrying hydraulic seal components destined for the DRC, has since been impounded.