Suspect Commits Suicide In Police Cell

ZAMBIA – A 26 year old suspect has committed suicide by hanging himself to a police cell in Chasefu District of the Eastern Province.

Late Smart Mwanza of Chiponde Village in Senior Chief Magodi’s area who was arrested for stock theft was in the early hours of yesterday found hanging at Emusa police cell.

ZANIS reports that Eastern Province Deputy Police Commanding Officer Kennedy Chibwe has confirmed the development in an interview.

Mwanza was arrested and detained at Emusa Police Post on March 5 for the offence of stock theft.

The Deputy Police Commanding Officer said Mwanza might have committed suicide on March 6 around 18 hours as he was only discovered dead yesterday around 07.45 hours in the morning.

He said Mwanza was the only suspect detained and used a string from his tracksuit bottom to hang himself to the entrance of the police cell.

“He committed suicide by hanging himself in the police cell. He used a string from the bottom track.” the Deputy Police Chief said.

The body of the deceased is currently lying in Lundazi district hospital mortuary awaiting post mortem before burial.

This brings to two the number of people that have committed suicide in Chasefu district within a space of five days.

Five days ago, a 36 year old Brenda Zimba of Jeke Village in Chief Phikamalaza’s area was reported to have died later at Lundazi district Hospital after taking a pesticide following a family dispute.