Zambia : Murder Suspects Arrested

Police in Nakonde District in Muchinga Province have arrested two men in connection with the murder of an unidentified person whose body was found in a graveyard in Chiyanga Village. Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Lubinda Mayamba identified the two murder suspects currently in police custody as Steve Hasunga, 32, and Cosmas Muwowo, 48, in a press statement issued to the media. Mr Mayamba disclosed that the incident occurred on September 4, 2026, around 20:00 hours and was reported to Nakonde Police Station on September 5 around 07:30 hours. He disclosed that the discovery of the dead body was reported to Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU) members by Steve Hasunga, 32, a businessman who operates a bar in Chiyanga and is among the murder suspects. The Commissioner, however, said CCPU members noticed blood stains on Mr Hasunga's clothes before proceeding to the scene, where they confirmed the incident. He said Police officers later visited both the primary and secondary scenes. Mr Mayamba explained that at the secondary scene, the body of the unidentified man was found lying on its back about 13 metres from the primary scene and approximately 5 kilometres from the Nakonde Central Business District. 'Acting on the report, officers booked to Chiyanga Village and processed both the primary and secondary scenes, the findings are that the dead body of an unknown person was found within the graveyard laying facing upwards,' he said. The body had multiple head injuries and visible blood stains. Mr Mayamba stated that a search at Mr Hasunga's bar, identified as the primary scene, led to the recovery of a wooden and concrete weight, a hammer, and a stone, all stained with blood and suspected to have been used in the attack. He added that pieces of a blood-stained cardboard box similar to one found at the secondary scene were also recovered. The Police Commissioner said two suspects, Steve Hasunga 32, and Cosmas Muwowo, 48, have since been apprehended and are in police custody. He stated that a docket of murder has been opened and the suspects will be charged and appear in court soon. Mr Mayamba said blood samples collected from both scenes will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for DNA analysis to link the suspects to the crime and to confirm the weapons used. He added that the recovered items have been secured and will be produced as exhibits in court as investigations are ongoing. Loading read count...