A tragic incident unfolded in the Meanwood Ndeke Phase-One area of Lusaka, Zambia, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, as former bank employee Mike Ilishebo, 44, allegedly took the life of his 35-year-old wife, Valerie Franco, before ending his own. Police Public Relations officer Rae Hamoonga confirmed the distressing event in a statement issued on Thursday, April 4.
Report revealed that, Ilishebo strangled Valerie with an electric power adapter cable and inflicted a fatal stab wound to her abdomen with a knife. The police were alerted to the incident by Alice Mapulanga, 38, who reported the disturbing occurrence to the Chelston Police Station through the Ndeke-vorna Police Post.
Upon arriving at the scene, police officers discovered Valerie Franco’s lifeless body in the bedroom, adjacent to the bed, with a knife lodged in her abdomen. Meanwhile, Mike Ilishebo was found deceased in the sitting room, with a black substance emanating from his mouth. 
Investigations revealed that Ilishebo allegedly strangled his wife with the electric cable and then fatally stabbed her before consuming a poisonous substance, leading to his own demise. The tragic event is believed to have taken place between 15:00 and 16:00 hours.
The bodies of the deceased were transported to the University Teaching Hospital mortuary for further examination. Hamoonga noted that the motive behind the incident seemed to stem from a prolonged marital dispute between the couple, who had an eight-month-old child together.
