Malawi police arrest man for ‘drinking spree’ murder
Police in Malawi’s northern city of Mzuzu have arrested a 30-year-old Chancy Shaba for allegedly fighting to death Vuka Nyirenda 34, during a drinking spree in Jombo area.
In a press release made available to Nyasa Times, Mzuzu police public relations officer sergeant Maurice Chapola says the suspect allegedly picked up a quarrel with the deceased over beer which eventually ended into a fierce fight.
“In the course of exchange of blows, the two reportedly fall off into a trench to the disadvantage of the deceased who sustained a neck fracture and abruptly lost his conscious,” Chapola says.
The deceased died at Rumphi District Hospital while receiving treatment. Post-mortem conducted at the same facility indicated that death was due to internal bleeding after fracture of nosal and broken neck.
“Some villagers had earlier attempted to conceal the circumstances leading to the death , but police got tiped as they were about to bury the body prompting them to immediately facilitated post-mortem before
apprehending the suspect,” he says.
Chapola says the suspect who hails from Machonisa village, T/A Mtwalo in Mzimba District, has been charged with murder contrary to section 209 of the penal code which carries a maximum of death sentence.
The deceased hails from Nation Mhema village in the area of Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District
According to Chapola recent statistic show that 90 percent of murder cases in the city are committed at drinking joints and under the influence of alcohol.
“The police would therefore like to appeal to residents to avoid excess beer drinking which result in decrease in sense of judgment hence drives others to commit different offences including murder.”
Chapola says the police would also like to appeal to members of the media, religious leaders, chiefs and all people who are influential in a society, to help in dissemination of information on the evils of committing murder.
