Police in Lilongwe on Wednesday night arrested three suspects in connection to the death of 23-year-old Kottana Maria Chidyaonga.
Chidyaonga was reported to have died as a result of a snake bite but an autopsy report has revealed that she was killed with termik.
According to Lilongwe Police Station publicist Joseph Kachikho, the suspects have been identified as Timothy Mtilosanje who was late Kottana’s boyfriend, Gilbert Kamaliza and Diana Bhagwanji.
Kachikho said the three are expected to appear before court soon and they will be charged with murder.
On January 3, Chidyaonga reportedly stepped on a snake on the veranda of Mtilosanje’s house and reported that she was bitten by the snake before it was killed by the security guard.
Moments after the incident, she a started feeling itching on the inner medial aspect of the right foot and later on, she complained of experiencing lightheadedness.
It was at this moment that she was rushed to Polyclinic for treatment before being referred to Kamuzu central hospital where she died upon arrival.
However, a final autopsy report by a Forensic Pathologist Dr Charles Dzamalala on the body of the 23-year-old, who died on 4th January, indicates that she died of acute poisoning with Termik and not a snake bite.
According to the report which Malawi24 has in possession and signed by Dr Dzamalala on Wednesday, there was no evidence that Chidyaonga died as a result of a snake bite.
Following the release of the autopsy report, police in the capital city instituted an investigation which has led to the arrest of the trio.
