Police in Monkey-Bay, Mangochi are keeping in custody a 24-year-old Maleta Makunje for the alleged murder of Moses Katandi, 45, after the two picked a quarrel over an unsettled debt.

Confirming the arrest, Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Rodrick Maida said Makunje asked Katandi’s son to provide him with poles for house construction at a price of K4, 000 but only managed to pay K2, 000.

The son complained to his father, Katandi, and on the afternoon of November 12, the deceased met Makunje at a drinking joint where he demanded the balance Makunje owed his son.

“A quarrel ensued in the process as both of them were drunk and Makunje allegedly punched Katandi on the left jaw causing him to fall down unconscious,” Maida said.

The matter was reported to Monkey-Bay Police Post where officers rushed to the scene and took Katandi to Monkey-Bay Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

A postmortem conducted at Monkey-Bay Community Hospital revealed that death was due to suffocation following the impact which depressed the deceased’s tongue.

The suspect fled after the incident but a tip-off from the general public led to his arrest two days later at Katema Trading Centre in the same district.

Makunje hails from Makunje Village, Traditional Authority Nankumba in Mangochi and is expected to appear in court soon to answer murder charges.