Chipata Nurse Found Dead in Suspected Suicide

A 23-year-old nurse from the Mwami Adventist Hospital area in Chief Mpezeni’s chiefdom in Chipata District has been found dead in a suspected suicide case.

The deceased has been identified as Bernadette Nkholongo, who was reportedly found dead in the early hours of March 11, 2026.

Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba confirmed the incident, stating that it is believed to have occurred between 05:00 and 06:00 hours.

According to Mweemba, the deceased had allegedly been threatening to take her own life for some time.

He explained that earlier in the night, Nkholongo was sleeping in the same room with her cousin, Alice Zulu, when she reportedly woke up and attempted to harm herself using a chitenge material, but was stopped.

Mweemba said the deceased allegedly made about three more attempts during the night.

Around 05:00 hours, she reportedly left the house and did not return, prompting family members to begin searching for her.

Her uncle, Romano Nkholongo, later discovered her body around 06:00 hours lying in a shallow furrow in a nearby garden within the farm.

Police officers who visited the scene found a white pair of socks tightly tied around her neck while the other sock was still worn on her leg. No physical injuries were observed on the body.

Police have since launched investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The motive behind the suspected suicide remains unclear. Nkholongo has left behind a husband and a child.

Meanwhile, it is alleged that at the time of the incident, her husband was in Lusaka and had advised her to stay with her family, where she had been residing prior to her death.