By Topson Banda
Police in Nsanje on Tuesday arrested Councillor for Matundu Ward in Nsanje South Constituency on allegation that he murdered his 30-year-old employee after four goats went missing.
The suspect has been identified as Robert Biliati Chavi whereas the deceased is Gerald Mphende.
The incident happened on December 15, 2020 at Zavedo Village in Traditional Authority Ndamera in Nsanje, where the suspect is alleged to have assaulted his employee (now deceased) and later fled away.
According to Nsanje Police publicist Agnes Zalakoma, the victim was employed by the suspect to take care of his goats and on this material day four goats were missing from the kraal.
Therefore, the suspect followed the victim and asked about the whereabouts of the other goats and in the course, the suspect started beating the victim until he became unconscious.
The suspect dumped the victim in the bush fearing that he was dead.
Later, the victim was taken to Nsanje District Hospital by his wife where he was admitted without reporting the matter to police.
On December 24, 2020, hospital officials reported the matter to police after the victim’s wife revealed that her husband was assaulted.
Following the report, police followed up the matter and found the condition of the victim improving but on December 27 2020, the victim died while receiving treatment at Nsanje District Hospital.
The suspect, who handed himself over to police on December 29, 2020, will appear before court soon to answer a charge of murder.
Robert hails from Padziko Village in the area of Traditional Authority Ndamera in Nsanje district while Gerald (now deceased) was coming from Sekeni Village in the area of Traditional Authority Lundu in Chikwawa district.
