An argument over who should be served first at a maize mill in Chikwawa has ended in tragedy, leaving an 83-year-old grandmother dead and a woman in police custody.
The dispute began at Beleu Trading Centre when two women reportedly clashed over their positions in a queue to mill maize. As tensions escalated, the elderly woman stepped in to intervene.
According to Chikwawa Police spokesperson Dickson Matemba, the suspect, identified as 45-year-old Nalesi Stephano, allegedly manhandled and pushed Patricia Yosefe to the ground during the confrontation.
Yosefe reportedly lost consciousness after the fall and was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
A postmortem conducted at Chikwawa District Hospital established that she died from a head injury sustained during the incident.
Police have since arrested Stephano, who remains in custody and is expected to appear before court once investigations are completed.
Both the suspect and the deceased were from Chambuluka Village under Traditional Authority Maseya in Chikwawa.
