26-year-old man found dead in apparent suicide in Mporokoso

The body of a 26-year-old man has been discovered hanging from a tree in a bush by five women who were collecting mushrooms in Mporokoso District, Northern Province.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Mporokoso Town Council Public Relations Unit, the women made the grim discovery between 06:00 and 07:00 hours on Saturday while collecting mushrooms in the bush at Buyantanshi Village in Muchinga Ward, about five kilometres off the Kasama Road.

One of the women, Purity Bwalya, a resident of Chandalala Village, together with her companions, immediately rushed to Mporokoso Police Station to report the matter.

“The Police later engaged Mporokoso Town Council through the Public Health Officer, Sandra C. Mushibwe, and the Division Fire Officer, Davis Sinyangwe, and later a joint team retrieved the body and deposited it at Mporokoso District Mortuary,” the statement said.

The deceased was later identified by his mother, Mary Mulungu, of Chanda Mali Village in Mikomba Ward, as her 26-year-old son, Steven Mtonga.

She told authorities that the deceased left home on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at around 18:30 hours, and that the family had been searching for him since.

A relative said the deceased appeared slightly intoxicated and had mentioned hearing voices before he ran away and never returned.

Meanwhile, the Chief’s representative, Enock Musawa, who accompanied the retrieval team, expressed condolences to the bereaved family and urged members of the public to seek help and report early whenever they notice unusual behaviour among loved ones, noting that timely intervention could help save lives.

The body is currently lying at Mporokoso District Mortuary, awaiting burial.

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