CHAMA MAN BEATS DRINKING PARTNER TO DEATH
A FIFTY-year old man of Pondo Village in Chama District has lost his life at the violent hands of his drinking partner who beat him to death following a quarrel at the tarven.
What began as a joyous Tuesday evening outing of unregulated consumption of highly intoxicating local beer between comrades, Willie Zimba and Isaac Kaluba soon turned ugly after they became tipsy.
A long standing friendship between two grown men sadly ended in the early hours of Wednesday with one being packed in the cold mortuary to await burial while the other was marched to police cells ahead of a meeting with a High Court judge on a murder charge.
An argument ensued between the two and under the influence of the alcohol, Zimba offended his colleague by branding a fool who was having sexual relations with his own mother.
Following the insulting remarks, the situation between the duo quickly escalated to a physical fight that was however stopped by members of the local drinking fraternity present at the shabeen.
As evening handed over duty to night, Zimba and Kaluba staggered home in drunken stupours not talking to each other.
But tried as he might, Kaluba could not sleep because of the insult that came from his friend and so around 01:00 hours, he decided to go and teach his traditional cousin and friend a lesson.
Kaluba badged into Zimba’s house and immediately woke him up to a painful beating and when his wife tried to intervene, she too was beaten.
Unable to rescue her wailing husband from the ferocious blows of his colleague, Zimba’s wife ran to get help from the neighbours but by the time the rescue party was arriving, it was too late – his lifeless body was lying in a pool of his own blood.
Muchinga Province Deputy Commanding Officer Ronald Zambo confirmed the incident which resulted in Zimba’s death and the arrest of his friend.
Kalemb