A 72-year-old woman has died after a man torched the house of his in-laws in an attempt to kill his estranged wife and three children.
Six other people, including three children, managed to escape unhurt from the burning grass thatched house.
The 35-year-old man identified as Phenias Bwalya Mwele later committed suicide after setting the house ablaze.
The incident happened over the weekend in Mtima Village in Chief Chimese’s area of Mansa District.
Mable Mwenda who is the sister to the deceased, and Stanley Mwele the elder brother to the late Phenias both confirmed the tragic incident.
Ms Mwenda named her deceased sister as Emily Chibale.
Narrating the incident, Ms Mwenda said she and her husband saw a bright light in one of the rooms to their grass thatched house.
She said when they woke up to investigate the glowing light they discovered that the roof of the house was on fire.
She said when they tried to open the door to the house they failed to do so as it appears someone had tied it from outside.
She said they later woke up their three grandchildren and managed to get them out of the house through a small window.
Ms Mwenda said she, her husband and their daughter who was Phenias’ wife also managed to escape from the gutted house through the small window.
However, she narrated her deceased sister got stuck in the small window due to her big body size and was engulfed by the fire as they watched helplessly.
Ms Mwenda said her son-in-law Phenias Mwele had left a note in which he indicated that he was going to burn their house because his wife, who is her daughter, had refused to reconcile with him.
According to Ms Mwenda, her daughter Florence had separated from the husband Phenias due to physical abuse.
She said her son-in-law had visited them to try and reconcile with Florence who refused.
She said Phenias then threatened to deal with his wife once and for all.
Phenias’s brother Stanley Mwele also confirmed finding the letter left by his late young brother in which he notified them about his intentions.
He said his young brother had differences with his wife but he did not know Phenias had any intention to commit arson and later kill himself.
Mr. Mwele said that Phenias took vegetables from his garden and cycled into town to supply them to marketeers.
In the evening Phenias is said to have phoned his cousin to inform him that he had set the house of his in-laws on fire.
Mr. Mwele said Phenias also informed his cousin that he was also going to commit suicide because the police were now after him.
He said Phenias was found dead in his aunt’s house after taking suspected poison.
[ZNBC]
Its a sad development. This man was a coward, useless, foolish man. All problems are solved. How do u ignite a house? This man has been abusive to the wife and he expected the wife to stay. He doesn’t deserve a decent burial. Definitely he is going to hell
Sad story. I bet some dunderhead will blame RB for this.
R.B is to blame for this.
Oh I’m a PF supporter too.
Viva old men from UNIP days
Sad indeed #2 Nchimunya whats wrong with you? Why are you trying to put words into people’s mouth? So you know your RB is a culprit because he care less. Grow up.
Extremely sad indeed! What drives people to think that their lives and those around them is worthless and hence must be cut short? If you want to take a life just take your own don’t involve others!
Maybe Banda and Kunda should do the same to get out of their miserable lives. Especially Kunda, I would not put such a heinous act beyond that red lipped snake.
The behaviour of killing a wife and children and later commit suicide has gone out of control, we must find the cause of such barbaric act.
Honestly, Bembas just like abusing women, no wonder they killed Mabenga’s daughter(Maketo). They have no respect for women, under my dead body will I allow my sister to marry a man from this tribe. Another Bemba two months ago killed his wife over Kapenta in Kasama.
#2 Kalaluka dont vent your realisation of the wickedness of Lozis on this poor man. Imwe mwalichilamo and you know it !
So ni chi mubemba nafuti nafuti. Vi mbuya vanga viliye nzelu. Always doing malabishi like supporting homos na chi slogan cha ukawalala ati “donch kubeba”
And those of you who think that PF has support in Western Province, just look at #8. I have always said and I will say again. A lozi man will never be friends with a Bemba man. Chwe chwe chwe chwe.
What is the problem with you chaps? Why can’t you discuss issues without referring to someone’s tribe? Is this how dull Zambians have become? I know that you don’t even represent the general Zambian population, but stop this nonsense. It is becoming boring and you are driving many bloggers away. No wonder it is now left to the same people posting comments on every story on Lusaka-times, because the majority of sensible people are moving away. It is boring, to be honest. Not everyone is as dull as you id-iots. Grow up and find a job, may be you will realise your tribe is nothing and Zambia is first. St-upid!
Spot # 12 that is why I do not on line that offen because of the level of illiteracy expressed on this blog.
#4 look at what the dunderhead wrote at #2 – I rest my case.
This guy is RB’s agemate. Imwe sure!!!! ba RB.
#3 W.Kabimba- Leave politics out of this tragedy. If you have nothing to say just keep off the blog
Awe ba phineas kapuba. Why are men in Zambia so suicide prone when it comes to domestic disputes?
# 12 Zambian,
I couldn’t agree with you more. These low lives are always looking for negative stories to demonise us Bembas. If this Phineas guy had achieved something tangible they would not have called him Bemba but Ushi. They make me sick. They are in the minority anyway so they are nothing.
These are definately the results of tugiligili or is it jilijili. Please bring back katata on the market.
#18 Mutale, no one looks for negative stories from you Bembas because Bemba create them themselves! Look at Chiluba and all the other fugitives being hunted by the task force… And now you wany to bring an old field of tobacco into State House!
# 20 thats so funny!
# 20 does your crazy funk head well with five senses.common get matured.May his soul rest in peace
# 20-Who told you that chiluba is bemba ? Chiluba is lunda ? There are no bemba`s in luapula.Even the dude involved is not bemba.He is ushi.
Ba. Kalu, how is durban?
Ohhhhh not again,God deliver us from all evil
Tell them #12. This is beginning to scare me now. I’m not bemba but I have relatives and friends who are.They have had no problem with them visiting my province like I have enjoyed visiting their. Lets check our language, we do not need a divided zambia. i live in a country where even churches are divided by race and ethnicity. If this doesnt stop now we will be ourselves to blame. nalanda epo mpelele.
Condolences to the deceased families.