Isoka inmate dies

A 25-YEAR-OLD man at the Isoka correctional facility has committed suicide while his relatives suspect foul play. Muchinga Province assistant Police Commissioner Lucky Munkondya confirmed that Lawrence Chitelelwe allegedly took his own life by taking herbicide (griforcide) chemicals. Ms Munkondya said Chitelelwe allegedly took advantage to kill himself after he was given the job of spraying insecticide in the vegetables in the prison’s garden. ‘’lsoka police received a report of sudden and unnatural death in which lsoka correction facility indicated that Lawrence Chintelelwe, aged 25, swallowed herbicide (griforcide) and died. This was after he was charged with a duty of spraying the said insecticide on the vegetables, “she said. Ms Munkondya said the alleged suicide happened on Wednesday at 0700hrs at the correctional facility. She said relatives to the deceased did not believe that Chitelelwe committed suicide but they suspected foul play. The body of the deceased is in the mortuary at Isoka ddistrict Hospital awaiting a post-mortem. Ms Munkodya said reasons behind the sudden and unnatural death of Chitelelwe were yet to be established as police investigations into matter were continuing. ‘‘The deceased was serving a 12-month sentence with hard labour for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was only in prison for 10 days,’’ she said Ms Munkonya said the deceased had at one time served a jail sentence for being in possession of narcotic substances.