Police in Chitipa have arrested an 18 year- old man, Wayuyo Pwele, of Njebete Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mwenemisuku in Chitipa District for allegedly killing his step-daughter.

According to Chitipa Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Gladwell Simwaka, the suspect strangled his two and half year old step-daughter Sunday morning upon arrival from a beer drinking spree.

“Pwele is married to Mirriam Mushiko, who had a child, now deceased, before they married each other.

“However, it is reported that all along, the suspect was not at peace with the presence of the woman’s daughter in the family and had been demanding that she be sent to her grandparents,” said Simwaka.

Postmortem results at Misuku Health Centre, where the girl was pronounced upon arrival, showed that death was due to suffocation secondary to strangulation.

Pwele is expected to appear in court to answer a charge of murder.<