Zambia: A retired official of the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has committed suicide after the court ruled his divorce from his wife. The deceased set himself on fire with the help of the patrol that he had bought from the local filling station.
The victim has been identified as 53-year-old Charles Ngoma. The unfortunate accident happened in the victim’s residence after the court directed him to sell all their property.
The incident allegedly happened on March 4, 2024 around 19:00 hours in 10 miles area of Lusaka Province. The friend of the victim, identified as 42-year Emmanuel Mutale reported the incident to the Muwanjuni Police Post on Monday.
The Lusaka province police officers have shared the incident details with the media officials. The officials have shared that the people of the country are extremely sad about the death of the victim.
Police Public Relations Officer, Rae Hamoonga shared that on March 4, the deceased told his friend Mutale about the judge’s decision on his divorce. The case was being heard at the Matero Local Court and had become a source of frustration for the victim.
Ngoma and his wife, Faustian Chanda, had been separated for a month. There was a court session held on March 4 where the judge ruled that they should divorce and sell their jointly owned property.
The jointly owned properties of the estranged couple included the house where the victim lived and eventually committed suicide. The proceeds of the sale were to be shared equally between the couple.
The retired ZESCO employee was distraught by the court’s judgment and purchased petrol from a local Filling Station. After getting the patrol, the victim sprinkled the patrol in the whole house and his vehicle.
Further, he ignited the house on fire and also committed suicide in this said blaze.
Police Public Relations Officer, Rae Hamoonga revealed that the neighbours of the deceased tried to save him. However, he suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Matero Level One Hospital.
Within half an hour of his arrival at the medical facility, he succumbed to his injuries approximately 30 minutes after arrival. He states that an inquiry file has been opened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.