NATION REPORTER
A MAN aged 37 has been arrested and charged with suspected murder after bringing his girlfriend’s body to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka on Tuesday night, reporting she had died from insecticide poisoning.
Police reports state that at approximately 23:30 hours on Tuesday, Constable Mufune of the UTH Police Post received a “brought-in dead” (BID) body from Maybin Muliye of Kamwala South.
He identified the deceased as his cohabitee, Sipiwe Nyirenda, whose age and home address remain unknown.
Muliye told officers that Ms Nyirenda had ingested a bottle of insecticide he had bought for fumigating cockroaches in his home.
He claimed that she asked for water at around 20:00 hours, and upon returning from fetching it, he found her with white foam at her mouth.
Doubting his account, police officers at UTH referred the matter to Kabwata Police Station.
Investigators at the scene recovered the insecticide container; an initial inspection of the body revealed no external injuries.
Detectives have noted that the couple had only known each other for six days and had recently started living together.
Muliye said he did not know Nyirenda’s family or place of residence.
Mr. Rae Hamoonga, Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed that Nyirenda’s body is now at the UTH mortuary, pending a postmortem examination, formal identification, and burial arrangements.
“Muliye remains in custody as investigations continue. Police are appealing to anyone with information about the deceased or her family to contact the Maxwell Sibongo Police Post.