* The suspects allegedly caught the deceased stealing chickens and started assaulting him
* In Mzimba, a 19-year-old student, Bless Nyirenda died on Friday due to head injuries after being assaulted by two teenage brothers
* An elderly man, Jobin Munthali was found lying lifeless in a field by a woman
By Fostina Mkandawire & Aliko Munde, MANA
Police in Salima have arrested five people on suspicion that they killed a man suspected to be a thief while in Mzimba, two people have been killed in Mzimba within a week.
Advertisement
Salima Police public relations officer, Jacob Khembo said on the night of November 9, 2022, the suspects allegedly caught the deceased — identified as Yusuf Kandiado — stealing chickens and started assaulting him.
He said Boston Kaluzi, 27, and four others who live within Khombedza Village in Traditional Authority Khombedza, ran away and sought refuge at an unknown location after discovering that Kandiado had died.
“The matter was reported to police who in turn instituted investigations in order to trace and arrest the suspects,” Khembo said, adding that when the suspects heard that they were on the wanted list, they handed themselves to police on December 17, 2022.
They have since been charged with murder and will appear before court soon.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, police in the district are still cautioning the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands by resorting to mob justice but rather report issues to police.
In Mzimba, a 19-year-old student, Bless Nyirenda died on Friday at Mzuzu Central Hospital due to head injuries after being assaulted by two teenage brothers.
According to Mzimba Police spokesperson, Sub-Inspector Peter Botha, the Form 3 student at Kamilaza Community Day Secondary School and the duo brothers picked up a quarrel at Kamilaza Trading Center where they were drinking beer last Wednesday.
“The quarrel ended up into a fight between Nyirenda and the two brothers,” the police publicist said. “They overpowered Nyirenda as they heavily assaulted him using blunt objects to the head.”
He said well-wishers rescued Nyirenda, who later went to the Police before going to Mzimba District Hospital where he was treated as an outpatient.
Advertisement
“On Thursday, the condition got worse and was taken back to Mzimba District Hospital but was referred to Mzuzu Central Hospital where he died while receiving treatment on Friday,” Botha said.
The two brothers have since been arrested and will appear before court soon to answer murder charges, which is contrary to section 209 of the penal code.
In a related development, Mzimba Police is on a man hunt for suspected assailants who murdered an elderly man, Jobin Munthali on Thursday at Euthini in Mzimba District.
Botha said Munthali was found lying lifeless in a field by a woman who went to work in the field and reported the matter to Police and a medical reports revealed that both Munthali and Nyirenda died due to head injuries secondary to assault.
Nyirenda hailed from Daudi Ziyanyumbo Village in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) M’mbelwa while Munthali was from Zoto Village under T/A Chindi both in Mzimba.
