Mzimba Police are keeping in custody three men and a woman for allegedly killing Maxson Banda, 37, after accusing him of stealing clothes and beddings.
The suspects are identified as Standwell Mhone, 26, of Kanyeramalo village, Fiskani Gondwe, 27, of Kaponda village, Army Gwaza Kaluwa aged 39, of Gomani Mkandawire village, and Agness Mbeye aged 44, of Kanyeramalo all from T/A M’mbelwa in the district.
Police say Maxson Banda got employed by Agness Mbeye in May 2022, as a Cattle herder and they were staying together at her house.
On May 23, 2022 Agness Mbeye suspected that her worker Maxson Banda (now deceased) stole assorted items and these include beddings and clothes. This prompted Mbeye to hand over Banda to members of community policing in the area for interrogation.
The members started assaulting Banda in the process and later one of the members, Standwell Mhone, took Banda in a Toyota Dyna and and dumped him in a forest along the Mzimba Kasungu M1road near Embangweni turn off.
Banda was seen by passerby who took him and dropped him at Mzimba turn-off. Another well wisher took him to Mzimba police station where he revealed everything before being referred to Mzimba District Hospital where he was admitted but died on Sunday the 29th, 2022.
Postmortem results revealed that Banda died due to severe assault.
Police in the district have since advised members of the community not to take law into their hands because doing so is an offence.
