Police in Mponela, Dowa are keeping in custody a 29 year old man for murder.

The suspect has been identified as Cosmas Chiwoko, 29, of Msampha Village.

The deceased has been identified as Martin Bochera, 50, who hailed from Mponda Village, both from Traditional Authority Mponela in Dowa district.

Bochera met his fate between the night of September 9-10, 2021 at Mponda Village in the district.

Police reports indicate Bochera fell sick whilst in his bed and was taken to Mponela Rural Hospital where he was pronounced dead before receiving treatment.

Four days later, a certain man tipped the deceased’s relatives that Bochera was poisoned at a beer drinking joint by the suspect.

Exhumation of the body was done on September 29, 2021 and some body tissues were extracted from the corpse.

The tissues were taken to Central Veterinary laboratory where analysis shows that there was chemical compound in the samples.

The suspect will appear before court soon to answer charge of murder which contravenes section 209 of the Penal Code.