Police in Thyolo have arrested a 33-year-old man, Nandolo Sayilesi, for allegedly killing his 12-year-old stepson, Junior Njanji. The incident is reported to have occurred in Ndalama village, Traditional Authority Nchiramwera.

According to Rabecca Kashoti, the Thyolo police deputy spokesperson, the suspect has been having conflicts with his wife, including the deceased stepson, for the past seven years. It is alleged that on April 4, 2023, the stepson went to the market to sell doughnuts but did not return.

Concerned, the mother launched a search for her son, which led to the discovery of the lifeless body in a maize field boundary within the village.

The postmortem examination indicated that the cause of death was suffocation due to physical pressing on the trachea.

The police have taken the suspect into custody and are conducting further investigations into the matter.