A 24-year-old suspect smeared his body with faeces in the KaMhlushwa holding cells to avoid appearing in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court for a murder charge on Tuesday July 16.

The man is accused of stabbing and killing his 62-year-old father in KaMhlushwa on July 14.

The senior magistrate, Michael Phiri, ordered that the suspect be sent for mental observation after failing to appear in court again the next day, July 17.

According to the police, an argument that erupted between the father and son had resulted in the fatal incident.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that both the victim and the suspect had an argument earlier that day. The misunderstanding was resolved amicably by both parties. Later, when the victim came back from church, the suspect called him inside the house. It was during this time that the suspect allegedly took a knife and stabbed his father multiple times. The victim tried to escape, but fell down a few steps. The suspect ran out of the house. Some people who saw the bleeding father raised alarm, and community members managed to apprehend the suspect and summoned the police,” said the police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi.

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He said the perpetrator had attempted to commit suicide afterwards. “It is alleged that the suspect also sustained some stab wounds when he allegedly stabbed himself several times too,” he said.

He has since been sent for mental observation.