Police in Mchinji are keeping in custody a 22-year-old man, Zefania Phiri, for allegedly being involved in the death of his one-and-half year old son who died suddenly on February 5, 2019
.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Mchinji, Inspector Kaitano Lubrino said in an interview on Wednesday the child died when he was under Phiri’s care while his wife (child’s mother) was away to work in the garden.
Lubrino said though the child was buried, police ordered exhumation of the body on February 26, to pave way for postmortem after some well-wishers tipped police that they suspected foul play in the death of the infant.
“From the tip we have, the deceased was under the care of his step father, Zefania Phiri while its mother had gone to her garden for cultivation.
“While the mother was still at the garden, the suspect reported to his fellow villagers the sudden death of his step son,” he said.
Phiri was arrested following an autopsy from Mchinji Hospital on the exhumed body which revealed that the child died due to head injuries believed to have been sustained after he was hit by a hard object.
The police PRO said the suspect revealed in a caution statement that on the material day, the child died after he slapped him because he was angered after the child defecated and was looking filthy.
Phiri has been charged with murder and will appear in court once police finalises investigations into the matter, according to Lubrino.
He hails from Sepo Village in Sub Traditional Authority Nyoka in the district.
Source:Mana
