Two family members of Chinkanongo village in Choma have been burnt to death while two other members are battling for their lives in the Choma General Hospital after known people set their house ablaze as they slept.
A father, 55, and his seven-year-old daughter died in the early hours of yesterday while his wife and his 13-year-old daughter are admitted to hospital.
Their house was burnt down about midnight.
A Daily Mail crew that rushed to the scene around mid-morning found scores of villagers gathered at the funeral house, which is in Mbole area in Sikalongo ward.
Area councillor Phanwell Siagwelele identified the deceased man and his daughter as Joel Ng’angu and Mushimbi Chiwala, respectively, whose severely burnt bodies were still wrapped in chitenges and placed in the corner of the gutted house.
Mr Siagwelele identified the deceased’s wife, who is nursing severe burns, as Zalenda Munyeme, 49, who is admitted to hospital with her 13-year-old daughter named Lushomo Chiwala, who survived after crawling out of the burning house.
Narrating the ordeal, Headman Chibuno (Amos Ng’andu) said he was awakened by people who told him that his younger brother’s house was on fire and two people had died.
Headman Chibuno said when he asked Ms Munyeme (victim) about the genesis of the fire, she revealed that a man of the same village had allegedly warned her husband about the tragedy.
“She [Ms Munyeme] told me that sometime last month her husband went for a village meeting and as he was returning he met a man who asked him why he [deceased] was not taking care of his late brother’s children, and told him that if he’s not careful, he would be burnt in the house,” the headman narrated.
He said Ms Munyeme identified the man who had allegedly informed her husband about the impending tragedy as Josam Chumbwe.
A few minutes later, alert villagers, led by former Choma mayor Jackson Makwamba, who is related to Ms Munyeme, trailed and apprehended Mr Chumbwe and three other men who were whisked to Choma Central Police to help with investigations.
And KABANDA CHULU reports that two people died on the spot in an accident involving three motor vehicles along Los Angeles Boulevard opposite the Lusaka Golf Club.
Confirming the incident that occurred on Monday evening, Police Service acting public relations officer Esther Katongo said the deceased have been identified as Fred Chembo, 51, of Mtendere township and John Musonda, 32, of Lusaka West.
Mrs Katongo explained that the accident happened when the late Mr Musonda was driving towards Kabulonga roundabout but lost control due to excessive speed and hit into the other two vehicles which were driving in the opposite direction.