A 23 year old man in Mchinji has died after being electrocuted by ESCOM live wires, an incident that occurred on October 18 2018.

Godfrey Leman Mafiyo who until his death was working as a casual labour (tenant) at Tadziwana Farm which is located within Chimuti Village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Zulu in Mchinji, at around 1400 hours he escorted his friend Tomasi Yokoniya Phiri who wanted to source some poles which he intended to use them for the maintenance of his temporary shelter at the farm.

According to the Farm’s Manager, Josophat Phiri (51) of Mchekeni Village, T/A Njewa in Lilongwe told police that he allowed the two to get the poles within the farm’s woodlot, but later, he was shocked to hear from Yokoniya that his friend had died.

“Tomasi Yokoniya informed the farm manager that after they had identified a bluegam tree of their choice he started cutting the tree not knowing that it would land on the ESCOM’s mainline wires.

Having no knowledge that the tree had conducted electric power, he innocently beckoned his friend to assist him to remove the tree from the live wires. Immediately when Godfrey Mateyo contacted the tree he was severely electrocuted and died on the spot,” Traumatized, Yokoniya after he had narrated this he sneaked and disappeared.

A postmortem examination will be conducted today October 19 at Mchinji District Hospital so as to establish the cause of death.

Godfrey Leman Mateyo (23) hailed from Mwawaya Village, T/A Khombeza in Salima.