By ZR Reporter
Police in Malawi’s Dowa District have arrested a 44-year-old Congolese national in connection with the death of his 22-year-old wife at Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
The suspect, Wilonje Ettando, is alleged to have killed his wife, Mapendo Assan, following a domestic dispute believed to have been triggered by suspicions that she was pregnant.
According to Dowa Police spokesperson Alice Sitima, the couple’s relatives, together with Ettando, later took the woman to Dzaleka Health Centre, claiming that she had suddenly become ill.
Medical staff, however, found that she had already died by the time she arrived at the facility. Health workers also noticed suspicious marks on her body, raising concerns that her death may not have been from natural causes.
The matter was immediately reported to police, and the body was transferred to Dowa District Hospital for further examination.
As detectives began piecing together the events leading to her death, they established that Ettando had only arrived at Dzaleka Refugee Camp four days earlier after travelling from Mozambique, where he had been living, to reunite with his wife.
Medical examinations later confirmed that Mapendo was not pregnant, contradicting the suspicion that police believe may have sparked the fatal confrontation.
Ettando remains in police custody as investigations continue. He is expected to appear before the court once police complete their inquiries.
© Zambia Reports | July 2026