Soldier arrested over daughter’s murder
Police in Kasungu have arrested Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Medium Nyirongo, 30, for allegedly murdering his four-year-old biological daughter and abandoning his two-year-old son in a bush.
Kasungu Police spokesperson Joseph Kachikho confirmed the arrest in an interview yesterday.
He said Nyirongo, whose duty station is MDF Engineering Battalion in Kasungu, is suspected to have suffocated to death the girl, identified as Jane, on January 23 2023.
Kachikho said the incident happened while Nyirongo and his wife were on separation, but the children remained in his custody.
“After separating with his wife, he sent his two children to his mother in Mzimba, but she sent them back on 23 January 2023. On the same night, he took them to a bush where he [allegedly] murdered Jane by suffocating her and left the two-year-old son in the bush,” he said.
Kachikho said the boy was found on January 27 by Rosemary Jasi who was going to her garden while Jane’s remains were found on February 11 2023.
In a separate interview, MDF spokesperson Major Calvin Mlelemba confirmed that Nyirongo is a soldier, but declined to comment further, saying the matter is in court.
“Yes, he is our man and just like any other branch or individual, we are waiting for a court verdict after which we will be comfortable to comment more on his record as a soldier,” he said.
On why a person would be motivated to harm another person, psychologist Professor Chiwoza Bandawe said the problem emanates from failure to control anger.
“It begins with anger building gradually until it reaches a point that it is saturated and it wants to go out. At this point, the only way out is through aggression which comes in the form of violence,” said the psychologist.
Nyirongo, who comes from Malawira Village, Traditional Authority Chilowamatambe in Kasungu, is expected to appear in court soon to answer murder charges.
