Police in Mangochi are hunting for unknown assailants who brutally murdered a 5-year-old boy, Brian Alabi, whose body was discovered buried in a garden near his home in Mkwesa Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi.
The horrific incident occurred on June 5, 2025. On the previous day, Brian was left at home playing with other children while his mother, Latifa Bilutoni, 23, and some neighbours went to tend to their vegetable gardens.
Upon returning home, Bilutoni did not find her son, prompting her to inform her uncle and the village headman, who organized a search with the help of community members. However, the efforts proved futile.
The search resumed the following morning. During the process, some villagers noticed a dog barking and digging in a nearby garden. Upon closer inspection, human fingers were seen protruding from the soil. The body was later confirmed to be that of Brian.
Police officers from Chiponde Police Unit, accompanied by a clinical officer from Chiponde Health Centre, rushed to the scene. The body was exhumed and found with multiple injuries, the neck was tightly tied with a piece of cloth, both eyes had been punctured, and there was bleeding from the nose and mouth.
A postmortem examination revealed that the cause of death was strangulation, secondary to a twisted neck and head injuries.
Meanwhile, police in the district have launched a manhunt to apprehend the unknown assailants, who will face murder charges once arrested.
Police in Mangochi are appealing to anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the assailants to come forward and assist in the investigations.
lnspector Amina Tepani Daudi
Public Relations Officer
Mangochi Police Station
Cell:0999-706-525
Email:amina.tepani@police.gov.mw
Website:www.police.gov.mw