A 50-year-old man has died at his girlfriend’s house in Sinda District, Zambia, after leaving home with the claim that he was going for farm work.
The man, identified as Julius Mwale, had told his wife, Tasila Tembo, on Saturday morning that he was going for piecework at a farm with a friend, Gezani Banda. He later went to his girlfriend’s house instead.
Confirming the incident, Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer, Robertson Mweemba, said Mwale was found dead in a sitting position at the house of his girlfriend, identified as Anna, in the early hours of Sunday, April 12.
Police said Mwale and his friend went to Anna’s house around 6:00 p.m., where they were later joined by two others. The group ate nshima before buying locally brewed alcohol, known as kachasu, and started drinking.
Before they drank the alcohol they bought, Anna reportedly served Banda a separate drink described as “score beer,” which he took alone.
After some time, Mwale’s friends left, while he stayed back, saying he would spend the night and help guard Anna’s maize harvest.
Anna told investigators that she noticed nothing unusual until about 2:00 a.m. when she heard Mwale snoring loudly. She said she tried to wake him but got no response and then informed the village headman.
The case was reported to the police, who came to the scene and confirmed his death. His body was found still seated.
His remains have been taken to St. Francis Hospital Mortuary, where a postmortem will be carried out to determine the cause of death.