A 60 year old Malawian national has died after falling into a disused well in Mwasemphangwe area of Lumezi District , Eastern Province in Zambia,

A decomposed body of Gideon Phiri of Mbwangu Village, Chief Kazengela of Lilongwe District in Malawi was discovered in a well 2 days after he reportedly left home for a drinking spree.

Phiri, until his death, worked as a farm helper for Freza Mutonga 38 of Mutonga Farm in Mwasemphangwe area of Lumezi district.

Eastern Province Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba confirmed the incident to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Lundazi.

“Be informed that Lundazi Police Station, through Lumezi Police Post on April 10, 2025 around 10:00 hours received a report of drowning from Fred Mutonga,” Mr Mweemba said.

Police say Phiri died after drowning in a well within the farm area.

Brief facts of the matter are that on April 8, 2025 at about 14:00 hours, the now deceased person went to drink beer, leaving his employer and his family at the farm without stating were he was going to drink beer from.

When he did not show up in the evening, his employer and family did not worry as he had a tendency of spending nights out.

Noticing that he did not return to the farm even on the next day , his employer and the family began to look for him.

A continued search led to the discovery of Phiri’s decomposed body in an abandoned well within the farm two days after he disappeared from home.

Police suspect that the deceased could have fallen into the well in the night on his way back from a drinking spree.

Phiri’s body has since been retrieved from the well and physical body inspection revealed no visible injuries.

Due to the decomposed state of the body, the family was advised to bury their relative.

But police marked the grave for possible exhumation.