A Malawian national has been arrested for the alleged killing of a 70-year-old man in Chipangali District of Eastern Province.
Asin Phiri died about a week after being assaulted by 21-year-old Edward Mbewe, a Malawian national.
Mbewe had intended to hit a friend he was fighting with but accidentally struck Phiri instead.
Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba confirmed that the assault case was reported on January 2, 2026, by the now-deceased victim.
Mr Mweemba stated that Asin Phiri  sustained a deep cut on the head as a wooden log was said to have been used in the act.
“Brief facts of the matter are that Edward Mbewe, 21, a Malawian national, together with his friend, Maliseni Banda, also a Malawian national, decided to go and drink beer called Chibuku at a certain shop. A fight then erupted between the two friends, and in the process, Edward Mbewe got a wooden log from the ground and tried to hit his friend.  Unfortunately, the log landed on the head of male Asin Phiri, now deceased,” he said.
 He stated that immediately, the suspect was taken to police and the victim was issued with a medical report and rushed to the hospital.
  “The victim was admitted on January 2, and remained in admission until yesterday when a phone call was received from Charles Phiri, the son to the deceased that his father had passed away around 03:00 hours at Chipata Centra hospital intensive care unit,” Mr Mweemba stated.
The body was deposited into the mortuary awaiting postmortem examination results, while the suspect is apprehended and detained at Chipata Central Police Station.
