A Mulanje man, Frank Petro, has died after falling on a rock in the Nang’oma River, in what authorities suspect to be an alcohol-related incident.

Mulanje District police spokesperson Hawa Juma confirmed that the deceased, known for his frequent drinking, had visited Mwanakhu village on November 4, where he was consuming Kachasu, a locally brewed liquor.

Before his death, Petro allegedly told his relatives that he would not return home. In an emotional farewell, he asked his brothers to sell his mobile phone and use the money to pay off his outstanding debts.

The following day, November 5, Petro’s brothers found his lifeless body on a stone in the Nang’oma River.

Authorities were alerted, and an autopsy conducted at Mulanje District Hospital confirmed that Petro had suffered internal bleeding, which led to his death.

Petro, originally from Gibisan village under Chief Mabuka in Mulanje,