Lilongwe Police Spokesperson Hastings Chigalu said the boy, identified as Khudze Kwembe, was living at Njewa on the outskirts of the city with his uncle, Lewis Saidi, who works as a driver for a Chinese national.

“Both the victim's family and the Chinese employer reside in one compound at [a] Njewa residence that belongs to the latter.

“It was at 16:00 hours when uncle to the deceased received a telephone call from his boss, Chao Ji, that his nephew had been seriously injured by a dog, and that he should rush home for hospital arrangements,” explained Chigalu.

He said the boy was severely beaten by the dog despite its handler being present on the scene.

The boy was rushed to ABC Private Clinic, from where he was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital where he died due to severe loss of blood and wounds caused by dog bite, according to a postmortem.

The dog has since been killed.

The boy hailed from Makumba Village Traditional Authority Msanama in Machinga district.