Army officer burnt to death By SYLVIA MWEETWA and CHILA NAMAIKO- A ZAMBIA Army officer in Kabwe has been burnt to death after a container of petrol ignited and exploded on his body at his house. The incident happened around 21:00 hours on Wednesday at Kohima Barracks when the victim, identified as Major Sikufele Namiluku, attempted to light up a brazier after a power outage and in the process, the lit candle he was holding, accidentally fell on the petrol container. Major Namiluku was a military transport officer at the Military Training Establishment of Zambia (MILTEZ). He was 39 years old. Central Province Deputy Police chief, Edwin Bwanga, when contacted for a comment, said he was still waiting for a report from officers who were investigating the matter. ‘‘Our officers are already on the ground investigating the matter and once we have the report, we will be able to establish what exactly happened,’’ he said. But Zambia Army sources explained that Major Namiluku, who was officer commanding, driving and maintenance at MILTEZ, was burnt, while he was in the servants’ quarters where he had gone to collect the brazier as his family waited in the main house. It was not yet clear why the senior officer stored petrol at his residence. ‘‘The officer came out from the quarters, while his body was burning and was running around, while calling for help. The sad part of it is that no one was in the position to help,’’ a source at Kohima Bbarracks said. Major Namiluku, who was rushed to Kabwe Mine Hospital on Wednesday night, is said to have suffered more than 90 per cent burns and died in the early hours of yesterday. Some eyewitnesses claimed that some Police officers, who had rushed to the scene on Wednesday night, were turned away from the barracks’ entrance by soldiers on duty on the basis that it was a ‘private matter.’ The uncompromising soldiers told the Police officers to return the following day but another team of officers who returned to the barracks yesterday were eventually allowed to visit the scene of the incident late in the afternoon . In another incident, a 20-year-old girl of Namwala District has been shot dead by her stepfather who later killed himself after the two quarreled over her marriage plans. Neta Mulimbwa of Shibwela Village was shot dead by Phinias Shibwela, 45, of the same village in Chief Mungaila’s area. He used a shotgun. The girl’s parents were reportedly angered by her insistence on marrying a local man, against their wish. Mr Shibwela allegedly quarrelled with his daughter on Wednesday around 08:00 hours over her resolve to marry a man the family did not approve of. Southern Province deputy Police chief Milner Muyambango confirmed the incident in an interview yesterday. Mr Muyambango said Mr Shibwela, who argued with his daughter, later produced a shotgun and killed her instantly. He later took his life by shooting himself using the same gun.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 08:09:42 +0000
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