A 43 year old man of Isofu Village in Mbala District of Northern Province has been murdered by unknown people.

 Northern Province Police Commanding Officer, Lucky Munkondya, has confirmed the incident to ZANIS today.

Ms Munkondya has named the deceased as Esaya Simpungwe, who was murdered on 21st February, 2025 around 20:45 hours.

She said Janess Nachula, 30, wife to the deceased, reported the matter to Mbala police on February 22, 2025 around 05:00 hrs.

Ms Munkondya disclosed that Nachula reported that her husband was murdered by unknown people using an unknown sharp instrument.

She disclosed that the deceased sustained multiple cuts on the left side of the head.

Ms Munkondya narrated that Nachula explained that on the fateful day, the deceased was at home with her around 18:00 hours preparing supper when they heard the voice of Justin Sichula, a phone repair who is a neighbour.

She added that the deceased called Sichula with the view to having his phone fixed and later followed him to go and buy talk time at his house situated 200 meters away.

Ms Munkondya said after some time, the wife of the deceased decided to follow her husband due to some alleged threats he continued receiving from Wellington Mulwanda of Solomon Village over the land issue he was witness to in February last year.

She said Nachula explained that after walking about 40 meters away from her house, joining the Mbala-Nakonde road, she saw a vehicle at a distance and some unknown person walking towards her with the torch, who shortly switched it off and ran away in the nearby bush.

She said Nachula told the police that she picked up the phone belonging to her husband on the road and decided to go and inform Derrick Simfukwe, a neighbour who joined her in the search for the now deceased.

Ms Munkondya said the two found the body of the deceased person facing upwards in a pool of blood with multiple cuts on the left side of the head, 40 meters away from where they picked the phone.

She disclosed that Mbala police were informed and rushed to the scene, where they found the body of the deceased person lying in the pool of blood with multiple cuts on the left side of the head.

Ms Munkondya disclosed that the body of the deceased was picked up and deposited in Mbala General Hospital mortuary, waiting for postmortem and burial. 

She said no arrest has been made, but investigations have been launched to bring the culprit to book.