By Darius Milingo
The coroner’s court in sitting in Kabwe has ruled that the death of a Zambia Army Soldier, Pulatini Mkandawire, who was found dead in a guard room at Chidwin barracks was suspicious.
The court says this is because the investigations officer, Francis Punkeni, overlooked capturing and examining the food that had been served to Mkandawire prior to his death.
It is the court’s view that since the deceased is said to have died in an unnatural way, every detail needed to have been paid attention to and disclosed.
Arising from that, the coroner’s court has since returned an open verdict in the matter.
Allegations in this matter by the deceased’s family are that their relative was killed by his colleagues during a disciplinary process after having a dispute with his wife, while the state claimed that he hanged himself.
