A 17-year-old girl of Chama district in Eastern Province has reportedly closed the entire chapters of her life permanently ending a short life filled with potential by consuming an unidentified herbicide.
The life of Towela Nkhonjela, a promising student at Chili Secondary School from Chinkhalanga Village of Chief Kambombo tragically fell apart on Tuesday around 17:00 hours.
After returning from school on that fateful day, Towela completed her household chores, anticipating the evening meal preparations.
Unknown to her family, this would be her final day, as a dark cloud of despair quietly gathered over her.
According to Eastern province police commanding officer Robertson Mweemba, in the midst of her routine tasks, Towela let out her unexpected cry of pain, grabbing the attention of her grandmother, Febby Luhanga, with whom she shared a bedroom.
Mweemba said following the cry, Towela complained of a severe headache.
He revealed that her grandmother quickly alerted Towela’s uncle who promptly arrived on his motorcycle to rush her to Kanyelele clinic.
“As they made their way to the clinic, Towela’s condition rapidly deteriorated and upon arrival at the clinic, she was given a bed while being attended to,” he said.
According to the medical diagnosis, it was noted that she took an unknown herbicide substance.
Mweemba added that an inquiry file has since been opened and Towela’s family was advised to bury the remains and mark the grave for possible exhumation for postmortem.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba July 24, 2025
