A forest ranger at Dzalanyama Forest in Lilongwe has been stoned to death after he shot dead a charcoal burner.

Lilongwe police station deputy publicist sergeant Foster Benjamin has confirmed and said that the incident occurred on Wednesday, 24 March 2021 at Chaponda Village outside Dzalanyama Forest.

Benjamin said that on the said date, forest rangers were on patrol and came across a band of charcoal burners loaded with charcoal on their bicycles.

“The officers immediately confiscated the bags and bicycles, igniting the charcoal burners’ wrath. In anger, they blocked the road and pelted stones at the forest guards.

“The guards fired shots to scare the mob off but unfortunately one shot landed into 19-year-old Sauzande Chagaga Dalaivala, a charcoal burner, and he died instantly,” said Benjamin.

In retaliation, the irate mob stoned to death ranger Precious Zephaniah, 55 and they went on to steal his pump gun.

Police officers rushed to the scene and took the dead bodies to Kamuzu Central Hospital for postmortem.

The results showed that Chagaga Dalaivala died of gunshot wounds while Zephaniah succumbed to severe head injuries.

Police are investigating to arrest culprits and recover the rifle.