Police in Blantyre have arrested Ernest Thipa for allegedly killing his parents’ tenant Gift Maseya at a drinking joint in Chilobwe township in the city.
Sub-Inspector Peter Mchiza Public Relations Officer Blantyre Police Station said the murder happened on 2 May, 2022.
According to a report police received, Thipa was at a drinking joint with Maseya, a tenant in one of the houses belonging to the parents of Thipa.
While taking beer, Maseya started advising Thipa to avoid quarrelling with his parents.
This advice did not go on well with Thipa who started fighting Maseya using a sharp object. Maseya was then referred to Queen hospital Elizabeth Central Hospital after he had collapsed.
At the hospital, Maseya was declared dead and reports indicated that the death was due to loss of blood.
Members of the community received a report about the death and searched the suspect until they had caught him.
They took him to Police and started assaulting him as they drew closer to police office at Chilobwe. Police managed to rescue the suspect and placed him in custody while confronting with the angry mob. The Police then transferred the suspect to Blantyre Police Station.
Members of the community started pelting stones at Chilobwe Police Unit in demand for the suspect whom they wanted to be released so that they could kill him on their own in the presence of Police.
During the commotion, some window panes for the Police building were smashed. After some time of confrontation, the angry mob dispersed.
Police have since reminded members of the general public that it is against the law to pass judgement on their own.
“Anyone involved in the act is committing an offence and on this, the Chilobwe residents who were involved in the act, will be investigated and prosecuted accordingly so that everyone must learn to respect the rule of law,” said Nyirenda.
The suspect Ernest Thipa comes from Konzere Village in the area of Traditional Authority Ngabu in Chikwawa District.
