Mazabuka woman detained for suspected murder

–Police in Mazabuka district in Southern Province have arrested and detained   an 82-year-old woman who is alleged to have caused the death of her two-months-old grandchild.

Southern Province Police Commissioner, Mary Chikwanda, confirmed the arrest of the old woman of the infamous Kabobola Compound in Mazabuka Township in an interview with ZANIS in Mazabuka this morning.

Ms Chikwanda identified the woman as Malita Muyema of House number 646 Kabobola Compound who was arrested on yesterday   to help with investigations into the murder of her two-months-old grandchild.

Ms Chikwanda could, however, not give further details into the alleged murder case, saying police   are still conducting their investigations.

However, sources close to the family revealed to ZANIS that the woman was picked up by police in the early hours of Monday morning after her daughter, who is the mother of the deceased child, lodged a complaint over the death of her child to the police.

The sources revealed that the mother of the deceased child, identified as Aliness Banda, aged 19 years, left her baby sleeping in the custody of her mother while she went to the market to buy some merchandise.

They added that upon returning home, Ms Banda was informed by her mother that the child had died without being told the circumstances that might have led to the child’s death.

“It was at this point that Ms Banda decided to report her mother to the police on strong suspicions that her mother could have strangled her child to death due to the fact that she noticed some spots of blood on the baby’s nose,” revealed the sources.

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased baby has since been deposited in the Mazabuka District Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem while the 82 year old woman remains in custody but has not yet been formally charged with any offence as police are still carrying out their investigations.