By Chisomo Phiri
The trial of seven men accused of murdering medical doctor Victoria Bobe commenced before the High Court in Blantyre on Tuesday, with all the accused pleading not guilty to charges of murder, robbery and burglary.
The accused are Charles Chikafa, Maxwell Elia, Rafik Abdul Hassan, Santos Chamaba, Peter Chimenya, Issa Ali and Peter Mphepo.
The State indicated that it will call nine witnesses during the trial before High Court Judge Ruth Chinangwa.
The first witness, the deceased’s husband, Yamikani Bobe, became emotional and broke down in court while recounting the events of the night of November 17,2025, when his wife was fatally shot at their home in Chigumula Township, Blantyre.
However,the proceedings were briefly adjourned to allow him to compose himself before he resumed his testimony.
When proceedings resumed,Yamikani Bobe told the court that armed men broke into their home after allegedly cutting through the perimeter fence and attempted to force their way into the couple’s bedroom.
He said he and his wife held the bedroom door shut in an effort to stop the intruders from entering.
According to his testimony, one of the attackers fired through the closed door, striking his wife in the head before the suspects entered the room demanding cash, including US dollars.
He said the attackers, who were wearing black clothing and face masks, threatened to kill them if they failed to hand over money.
He said after unable to find cash inside the house and the family’s vehicles, the suspects stole a laptop, mobile phones and other property before fleeing.
Yamikani Bobe testified that he later recognised two of the suspects during a police crime scene reconstruction, identifying one by his facial features, including an injured eye, and another as the man who carried away the laptop and appeared to be directing the group.
He also told the court that his wife had sent a voice message to a neighbourhood WhatsApp security group pleading for help after noticing the intruders.
He said although the family had a private security service and activated the alarm system, no security personnel arrived during the attack.
The State’s second witness, Jimmy Kanyerere, a former police officer and head of the Chigumula neighbourhood watch, testified that he received late Bobe’s distress voice note shortly after midnight and immediately responded that he was heading to the house with his two dogs.
Kanyerere said he encountered a group of men running from the direction of the Bobe residence.
He said after asking whether they were neighbourhood security members, one of the men shouted “You will die for others,” before firing a shot into the air, forcing him to retreat behind his gate.
He said from there, he heard a man, whom he believed was the group’s leader, angrily instructing the others as they fled.
In court, Kanyerere identified two of the accused, saying he recognised one by his voice, physical appearance and Chichewa accent as the man who fired the warning shot, while the other appeared to be leading the group.
During cross-examination, defence lawyer Goba Chipeta questioned Kanyerere over inconsistencies between his testimony and an earlier police statement.
While the written statement indicated that he alone found two abandoned mobile phones and handed them over to police, Kanyerere testified that he discovered the phones together with Yamikani Bobe’s sister and that she later took them to the victim’s house.
He explained that the phones, a Samsung and an iPhone, appeared to have been deliberately placed rather than accidentally dropped.
Chipeta also questioned Kanyerere, a retired police officer who served between 2000 and 2018, on why he handled what could have been evidence at the scene.
Kanyerere responded that crime scene management falls under the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), saying it was not part of his area of expertise.
Following testimony from the two witnesses, the court adjourned the case to continue with additional witnesses, including professional witnesses such as police officers.
Lead prosecutor Abdul Limbe said one of the officers is expected to present evidence on statements allegedly made by the suspects after their arrest.
He also indicated that the court is likely to visit the crime scene during the trial.
Victoria Bobe, 33, was a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH ) and a lecturer at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS).
