POLICE have arrested a resident of Chipata’s Mchini Compound in connection with the murder of his wife in an alleged case of domestic violence.

Uncle to the deceased, Alick Miti, confirmed the alleged murder in an interview at the funeral house in Mchini Compound on Friday. He said his niece was killed in the early hours of Wednesday.

Miti named the deceased as 24-year-old Brandna Tembo and the husband, Jack Phiri, a member of a named popular theatre group in Chipata, being held as a suspect.

He said the deceased is suspected to have died from beatings by the husband.

“These people have been in marriage for less than two years. I remember one day, Jack brought his wife to my house around 23:00 hours and I received my niece, he came the following day to get his wife but I refused and I told him to come with another person because it was not in order. After sometime when he pestered us we released his wife. You know the wife came to my place because this man seems to be a violent man, no wonder they call him Jack Five here in Mchini Compound,” Miti explained.

He said on Wednesday, he just received a report that Brandna had been found dead in the house.

“Firstly I didn’t believe that my niece had died until I went to Chipata General Hospital to identify the body. The deceased had a cut on the lips and I can confirm that she was killed,” Miti said.

He said Jack’s story that his wife might have taken some poisonous substance was unfounded.

He said the deceased left behind two children who were not fathered by the suspect.

“As I am talking to you now, Jack is in police custody he was apprehended yesterday (Thursday) by the police,” said Miti.