By Rahim Abdul
A shocking twist has emerged in Blantyre following the arrest of a 24-year-old man, Francis Chagunda, who allegedly confessed to killing 83-year-old Violet Nyambale Mtambo after being apprehended for a separate theft incident in Ndirande.
Blantyre Police Officer-in-Charge Aubrey Kawale confirmed that Chagunda, originally from Mwenemazongoni Village under Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa District, was taken into custody after being caught stealing.
During questioning, he reportedly admitted to murdering Mtambo at her home in Baluti on August 30, 2025.
According to Kawale, the suspect told investigators that he had gone to the elderly woman’s house intending to steal but decided to kill her after realizing she had recognized him.
A police report indicates that postmortem results showed Mtambo’s neck had been broken and that she suffered deep head wounds from the brutal attack.
Police have since described the confession as a major breakthrough in the case, which had left residents of Baluti in fear and shock.
Chagunda remains in custody as investigations continue, and authorities say he will soon appear before court to answer murder charges.
Police have since urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious individuals in their communities.
