A man from Livingstone, identified as Kelvin Lungu, faced a heartbreaking end to a four-hour search for his missing wife, Dorika Phiri, 23, when he discovered her body hanging from a mango tree in a neighbor’s yard early yesterday morning. The tragic event unfolded shortly after the couple attended a Christmas celebration featuring a performance by singer Yo Maps at Limpo’s nightclub.
According to reports, the couple left the club around 1:00 AM, but an argument over which route to take home led them to separate and use different paths. Kelvin reportedly returned home at 1:40 AM to find the door locked and his wife nowhere to be seen. He began searching for her, retracing their usual routes to and from the club, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
At around 5:45 AM, Kelvin’s neighbor, Jacqueline Kiziba, alerted him after spotting a body hanging from a mango tree near the boundary between their properties. Jacqueline had discovered the body while starting her morning chores. Kelvin rushed to the location and confirmed it was his wife, approximately 30 meters from their home. He immediately reported the incident to the police.
Southern Province police commanding officer, Auxensio Daka, confirmed the incident, stating that Dorika’s body was found hanging by a string from her white handbag. Her tongue was protruding, and there were drag marks and mud stains on her clothing, which differed from the soil at the scene, suggesting a struggle or foul play before the hanging.
Police have opened a murder investigation and are appealing to the public for information. No arrests have been made, and the deceased’s body has been taken to Batoka Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
