Man kills his grandfather in Mzimba

Malawi  Police in Mzimba have launched a manhunt for 29 year-old Suzgo Phiri who is suspected to have killed his 65 year-old grandfather Benson Phiri after Benson had reported the younger Phiri to police for stealing from him.

Police publicist for the district constable Lingstone Kanjauso confirmed the development to Malawi24 on Friday and said by the time they received a report of the tragedy, the suspected murderer had already bolted.

He, however, maintained that they have launched an investigation on the matter and once caught the suspect will answer murder charges in accordance with section 209 of the penal code. The maximum penalty for the offence is life imprisonment or execution.

“We are so hopeful that our hunt on the suspect will be successful and he will likely face murder charges which attract a maximum penalty of life in prison or death,” he said.

In an interview, a source close to the family said the suspect is a hard-core thief who was usually stealing many things from his grandfather.

The source said before he planned to kill his grandfather, the suspect stole bags of fertilizer and a phone at the house.

“After he stole those things people told him that the police were looking for him. He realized that it was the deceased who might have reported him thus he went home and butchered his grandfather,” said the resident.

According to the source, the suspect left the deceased lying in a pool of his own blood and ran away.

Some well-wishers took the deceased to Embangweni health centre where he just stayed some few minutes before being confirmed dead.

Postmortem results indicate that the deceased died due to severe haemorrhage. Both the deceased and the suspect at large hail from Embangweni area in Mzimba.

In another development, a man identified as Joseph Nyirenda has committed suicide by hanging in Masasa Township in Mzuzu city over excessive poverty, witnesses say.

It is believed that the deceased has always been complaining of financial problems which were bringing many calamities to his family.

Despite some advice to refrain from the decision of taking away his life, Nyirenda hanged himself in a bid to possibly escape miseries of this world.

Police in the company of some medical personnel visited the scene where it was confirmed that the man had already died. Postmortem results showed that he died due to strangulation.

He hailed from Nkhatabay district.