In Zambia, a 49-year-old man of Petauke District has committed suicide after burning the house where his wife and mother in-law were sleeping.

According to Eastern Province police commissioner Luckson Sakala, Itaye Nkoma of Garden Compound is said to have burnt the house where his wife and her relatives were sleeping after receiving a court summon in which his wife was seeking divorce owing to marital differences.

Mr Sakala said Nkhoma’s stepson Gershom Mbewe of Tasala compound in Petauke reported that his step dad committed suicide by hanging himself by the neck with a string in the bush on Wednesday.

Mr Sakala said police visited the scene and checked the body, which had no physical injuries and hence, no foul play is suspected.

Mr Sakala said on Tuesday around 10:00 hours, the deceased received a divorce summon from the court in which his wife Esther Mbewe, aged 40, had sued him for divorce due to marital differences.

He said on Wednesday around 01:00 hours, the deceased burnt the house where his wife, his mother in law Kelesiya Soko, a niece Agness Jere aged 25 with her son Moses Jere aged 2 years 3 months were sleeping.

Mr Sakala said Nkhoma’s wife and her relatives’ sustained burns.

He said Nkhoma was found dead around 11:00 hours on Wednesday.