Murder cases worry Mzimba police

Mzimba Police have expressed concern over the rise in murder cases in the district where five people have been killed this month.

According to Mzimba Police Peter Botha, a recent case involved Elija Ng’oma, 46, a watchman who was brutally murdered by unknown criminals on Thursday.

The thugs hit Ng’oma with a heavy stone in order to break into a shop which the victim was guarding.

They also wounded another watchman who wanted to help Ng’oma. The two guards were later rushed to Embangweni Hospital where Ng’oma was pronounced dead.

Last week, a 55-year-old Farmers World watchman was also killed by criminals.

The watchman Peterkins Mlotha was killed at the Farmers World shop early hours of Saturday last week.

On the morning, passersby saw blood stains at the shop’s main door and later the issue was reported to police who rushed to the scene.

The body of the watchman Mlotha was found in a nearby maize garden.

Postmortem at Mzimba District Hospital revealed that death was due to head injuries and loss of blood.

In early February, 75-year-old Witness Phiri was brutally murdered by assailants while other criminals also killed 80-year-old Khennah Zimba at Bulala.

On 15th February, 16-year-old Ackison Zimba was murdered by his friend Lyson Kamanga, 25, after a quarrel broke out between the two.

Kamanga is to appear in court soon to answer murder charges.

Suspects in the other cases are however yet to be arrested.