Zambia-Based Nigerian, Girlfriend Arraigned for Manslaughter After Murder Charge Downgraded

A 34 year old Nigerian national, Nathaniel Barthram, and his Zambian girlfriend, Maria Zaloumis, have been formally arraigned before the Kabwe High Court in Zambia for manslaughter, following the death of 22 year old Enoch Kasengele in August.

According to reports by Lusaka Times and confirmed by PUNCH Metro, the five accused persons Barthram, Zaloumis, Daniel Chiluwa, Fortune Mwitangati, and Gift Daka  were initially charged with murder after Kasengele’s body was found at Onani Farm in Kabwe on August 17, 2025. The offence was later reclassified as manslaughter after a review by the Zambian Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The case, which has attracted attention across Zambia and Nigeria, was first filed at the Kabwe Magistrates’ Court on August 28, where the suspects were charged under Section 200, Chapter 87 of the Zambian Penal Code for murder. They were subsequently remanded at the Mukobeko Maximum Correctional Facility pending the DPP’s consent for prosecution.

During a hearing held on October 6, State Advocate Joseph Zimba informed the court that the DPP had opted to reduce the charge from murder to manslaughter after reviewing the evidence. Defence counsel immediately applied for bail, arguing that manslaughter is a bailable offence and that the accused were willing to comply with all conditions.

Magistrate Wamundila Liswaniso, presiding over the case, granted bail of K20,000 each, requiring two traceable civil servant sureties for every defendant. However, as part of the bail conditions, Barthram a Nigerian citizen residing at Tuzini Farm was ordered to surrender his Nigerian passport to the court.

Court documents and reports from local media revealed that the deceased, Kasengele, lived along the Kabwe-Lusaka Road before his death. Zaloumis, identified as a farmer and the daughter of a prominent Zambian official, and Barthram were reportedly in a romantic relationship at the time of the incident.

The case has now been transferred to the High Court for trial, where prosecutors are expected to present witness testimony and forensic evidence linking the accused to Kasengele’s death.

The incident has reignited conversations around the conduct of some foreign nationals in Zambia, particularly Nigerians, who have in recent months faced increasing scrutiny following a series of high-profile criminal cases abroad.

In a similar report earlier this year, a Nigerian national, Adiyako Masaliyo, was killed in India following a violent altercation allegedly linked to a drug-related dispute.

Meanwhile, both the Nigerian and Zambian governments have yet to issue official statements on the Kabwe case.

As legal proceedings continue, the court has warned all parties to refrain from making public comments that could prejudice the case.