A 22-year-old man in Zambia has murdered his one-year-old daughter following a custody dispute with his ex-wife in Nchelenge District of Luapula Province.

Provincial Police Chief Chilije Nyirenda said the suspect who has been identified as John Mimbululu murdered his daughter in his own house.

Mr. Nyirenda said the suspect is alleged to have been denied custody of his daughter after the divorce with his wife.

He said that the suspect had however managed to take in their one year old child in the absence of the mother and murdered her.

Mr. Nyirenda said the suspect had divorced his 18-year-old wife in July this year and had not been given a chance to see his child.

“The suspect had on several occasions threatened to kill the child because his ex wife was denying him custody, and this is the report we have,” Mr. Nyirenda said

He said police managed to arrest the suspect who is currently in police custody while body of the child is in Saint Paul’s Mission Hospital Mortuary.