POLICE in Mazabuka have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of a man whom they dragged out of the hospital bed and set ablaze.

On February 19, a mob in Mazabuka’s Zambia compound descended on a suspect identified as Choongo Sitali aged 27, whom they beat up before he was rescued by the police after suspecting him of being one of the gassers.

After police rescued the suspect, they took him to Mazabuka General Hospital where he was admitted, but the mob later remobilized and dragged him out of the hospital bed and set him ablaze.

Police spokesperson Esther Katongo in a statement confirmed the arrests of the three suspects.

“The three suspects have been identified as female Nchimunya Hamanenga Siasokwe aged 42…male Chizunga Halwiindi aged 36…of Hospital Compound and Fraser Kaira, aged 32…The suspects have been charged with Murder and are currently in police custody. Investigations have continued with a view of arresting more suspects,” Katongo stated.

Meanwhile, police in Choma have rescued a 41-year-old woman from being killed by irate villagers on suspicion that she bewitched a 27-year-old woman.

“In another development, Police in Choma have rescued a female adult aged 41 years who was confined at a funeral house on suspicion of practicing witchcraft and was being suspected to have bewitched a 27-year-old female deceased person. Irate villagers were allegedly planning to kill the victim. Police officers who went to the funeral house [and] picked the victim and it was later established that before the death of the deceased person, the victim allegedly confessed to the family members of the deceased person that she had bewitched her. She, however, said that her confession was under duress. The victim has been taken to a safer home,” stated Katongo.