A village headman in Kasungu is reported to have died after he took beer on an empty stomach.

The 60-year-old traditional leader, Chinkhoma  Sapita Malekhaya, of Chinkhoma village in the area of TA Njombwa was last seen on Christmas day drinking a village-distilled gin.

Kasungu police spokesperson, Edna Mzingwitsa, suspects the chief was taking alcohol while hungry. This, a postmortem also established later (hypoglycemia).

“Some well-wishers ferried him to his house where he later died,” said Mzingwitsa.

Police are advising against excess consumption of alcohol especially when people have not eaten anything.