Malawi Police arrest father and son for alleged murder in Ntcheu

Malawi Police in Ntcheu district have arrested a 55-year-old man, Joseph Kagolo and his 17-year-old son for alleged murder.

The two are accused of killing Chikaya Kanula, 60, from Kaludzu village, Traditional Authority Njolomole, in the district.

According to police, Kanula was killed after being found stealing groundnuts in Kagolo’s garden.

“Kagolo owns a groundnut field and of late unknown people have been stealing his groundnuts from the field. In the wee hours of Saturday, together with his son they got organized and were and went to guard the groundnuts garden,” explained Hastings Chigalu, Ntcheu police publicist.

“Just after they arrived at the garden, they found the deceased in the field stealing the groundnuts. It is alleged that the deceased started running away upon seeing them but they managed to catch him.”

Chigalu said Kagolo and his son assaulted the deceased.

“Kagolo left for the village to notify the wife to the deceased about the issue, leaving the deceased behind with his son. While at the village the suspect demanded K80,000 from the deceased’s wife inorder to release him, but she only managed to raise K12,000.

“Then they (Kagolo and the deceased’s wife) left for the garden where the deceased was left. It is alleged that by the time the two arrived, Kanula was already dead.”

The matter was reported to Ntcheu Police, and postmortem at Ntcheu District Hospital revealed that Kanula died due to internal bleeding.

Kagolo is currently being remanded to Ntcheu prison whilst his son has been sent to Kachere Rehabilitation Centre in Lilongwe pending trial.

They will arraign on murder charge contrary to Section 209 of the Penal Code.

The suspects hail from Chipezayani village, Traditional Authority Njolomole, in the district.

According to law-enforcers, the district has seen cases of murder drastically dropping, from January to June in 2016 the district registered a total of 15 cases whilst from January to June 22 this year, and only 6 cases were registered, representing a 60% decrease.

“This is a commendable achievement, thanks to our relentless efforts through our community policing branch in sensitizing the communities about the dangers of taking laws into their own hands.”

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