A 30-year-old man identified as Issah Kamwendo, son of a well-known fisherman, has drowned in Lake Malombe after he was caught red-handed stealing fish from other fishermen’s traps at Chiwaula Fishing Dock.
The incident occurred on February 26, 2024, at the said fishing dock, which is located in the area of Traditional Authority Chimwala.
It is alleged that Kamwendo, around midnight of the said date, used his father’s boat and went into the waters to steal fish from other fishermen’s traps.
In the course of stealing, the owners of the traps emerged at a distance, and Kamwendo jumped into the water to a deeper part after he discovered that he was seen.
Immediately, the owners of the traps reported the matter to the deceased’s father after they recognized that the boat that was being used belonged to him.
Surprisingly, Kamwendo did not return home that night, which prompted his father and other relatives to start searching for him the following day. His body was later found floating near Likala Fishing Dock on the evening of February 27, 2024.
The matter was reported to Chimwala Police Unit, who visited the scene along with a medical practitioner from Ukalanga Health Centre. A postmortem conducted has revealed that death was due to suffocation.
Kamwendo hailed from Namasiyano village, Traditional Authority Chimwala in Mangochi.
police file story by lnspector Amina Tepani Daudi
Public Relations Officer
Mangochi Police Station