A 32-year-old is in Police custody in Mzimba for allegedly setting ablaze a house of a 70-year-old woman identified as Staffello Chima.
The incident happened on September 28, 2015 at around 14:40 hours.
Mzimba Police spokesperson Sgt. Gabriel Chiwona have confirmed of the development in an interview with the press and identified the suspect as Martin Nkhata.
According to the Police, on the fateful day Chima was away and he just got information that her house has been set ablaze by Nkhata.
“The victim rushed to the scene and found that her house had been burnt to ashes. Chima reported the matter to Mzimba police who later arrested the suspect,” he said.
Items burnt include cash amounting to K250, 000, five blankets, five traveling bags containing assorted clothes, two matresses, fourteen wrappers, books for village banks, twelve chickens, one bag of Soya, and kitchen utensils. The value of the damaged properties amounts to K800, 000.
The suspect will appear before court soon to answer the charges of arson which is contrary to Section 377 of the Penal Code which attracts the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Nkhata hails from Chimbatila village, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in the district.
