By FRANCINA PHIRI and MILDRED KATONGO
TWO boys have perished in a bush fire in Milenge District of Luapula Province.
Luapula Police Commissioner Hudson Namachila identified the deceased as Anjafwa Kabosha, aged eight, and Katongo Chungulo who was five years old.
Mr Namachila said the two were playing in the bush when they were caught up in the fire at Talayi Village in Chief Sokontwe’s area.
“It was around 15:00 hours when the two boys met their fate as they were following a burning fire that was started by an unknown person,” Mr Namachila said.
He said the bodies were found by their friends who went to collect wild fruits.
Mr Namachila said police visited the crime scene and that no foul play was suspected.
He advised parents to take responsibility of their children’s whereabouts and that they should not allow them to play in the bush anyhow.
Mr Namachila said that the two bodies were identified and had been buried.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy of Chama District has been arrested for injuring his stepmother using an axe.
Muchinga deputy Police chief Charles Mbita said Peter Ng’ambi unlawfully wounded his stepmother using the axe, leaving her with a deep cut on her forehead.
Dr Mbita said the motive behind the suspect’s unlawful wounding of his stepmother was not yet known as the two were said to be in good terms.
He said the incident happened on Friday last week around 23:00 hours when the suspect was at home and had been crying the whole day and destroying property in the house.
“We received a report that a 17-year-old boy injured his stepmother who sustained a deep cut on her forehead,” Dr Mbita said.
“An axe is suspected to have been used in the act. It is believed that the suspect lost his biological mother a few weeks ago and was in shock.”