Police in Mponela-Dowa are keeping in custody two men of the same village for murdering Kapiza Shawa, 62, over money amounting to K1500.
Mponela police spokesperson Kondwani Kandiado identified the two suspects as Alfred Banda, 34, and Stanley Kaudza, 30, both from Chilinkholi village in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa.
According to Kandiado, it has been established that the first suspect Alfred Banda wanted a tree for canoe carving and then hired Kapiza Shawa (now deceased) to do the work of cutting down the tree for him.
“On March 14, 2017, Shawa went to Banda’s house where he wanted to collect his money amounting to K1500,” Kandiado said.
“In the process of negotiating, a fierce fight erupted and the suspect took an axe and later hacked him in the head,” Kandiado added.
Shawa bled profusely and died on the spot.
Banda with assistance from his friend Stanley Kaudza later took the deceased, tied him with 8 kgs of metal bar before dumping him in Bua River together with his bicycle.
Two days later, he was seen floating by fishermen in the same Bua River.
Postmortem conducted by hospital officials revealed that the man died due to severe head injuries.
The two suspects will appear before court soon to answer murder charges.
umphawi wa bwampini mutharika ukapangitsa zonsenzi.