A 50-year-old man in Nkhata Bay, is in police custody after stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death for plucking mangoes from a tree.
Speaking in an interview, Nkhata Bay Police Spokesperson, Kondwani James, said the incident happened Friday night near Chintheche trading centre.
He said the suspect, Steve Kekana Mkandawire of Mtepelera Village in T/A Malanda stabbed Frank Banda 16, who was in company of three friends, on the chest.
“The deceased was on December 29, 2018 evening coming from Chintheche Trading Centre, going home with three friends.
On their way, they agreed to pluck some mangoes from trees along the road,” James explained.
He said after plucking the mangoes, they met the suspect who accused them of damaging the mango fruits.
James said a quarrel arose and resulted into exchanging of blows.
“In the course of fighting, Mkandawire produced a knife and stabbed the deceased on the chest. The innocent boy died on the spot,” he said.
James said Nkhata Bay Police visited the scene and took the dead body to Nkhata Bay District Hospital where post-mortem revealed death was due to excessive loss of blood secondary to deep cut wound.
He said the suspect was later arrested and is in police custody pending trial.
The boy hailed from Wanja Village TA Malanda, Nkhata Bay.
