Police in Ntchisi have arrested 41 year-old Yobe Mayenge Phiri on allegations that he killed his 38 year-old wife Sofina Banda at Chilima village, Traditional Authority Chilooko in the district.

Ntchisi Police Station Public Relations Officer Gladson M’bumpha confirmed of the arrested in an interview with state controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).

According to M’bumpha, the two, who were working as tobacco tenants, together with their eight children were boiling pumpkins after supper.

Later the wife started sniffing tobacco which did not please the suspect who confronted her and a wrangle erupted.

M’bumpha said the suspect punched the wife heavily in the head and she fell down and died on the spot.

The matter was reported to their employer who reported the matter to Police. The body was taken to Ntchisi District Hospital where a postmortem revealed that Sofina died of suffocation.

The suspect will appear in court soon to answer a charge of murder.

The couple hailed from Mayenje village, Traditional Authority Chitukula in Lilongwe.