Not guilty! Pleads Malawi ‘witchcraft’ killers

The 10 people arrested in Neno on Wednesday and charged with murder in connection to the murder of four elderly people at Chimbalamnga village in Traditional Authority Dambe in the district have pleaded not guilty.

The suspects appeared before Neno Second Grade Magistrate Court.

Staford Chifundo, aged 36, Amosi Sida, 32, Samuel Kaudzu, 20, John Harry, 21, Lex Mayenda, 19, Manford Dyson, 15, Patrick Kanjete, 14, Lyton Silence, 15, Ben Saukila, 14 and Eliya Mapeto aged 13 all entered a not guilty plea to a charge of murder contrary to section 209 of the Penal Code.

The court remanded them and Magistrate Daniel Dzowela said they will be sent to various prisons according to their ages.

Neno Police Spokesperson Raphael Kaliati said they arrested the 10 suspects following  the information they got from one credible witness to the killings who was hospitalized at Neno hospital after being beaten severely during the mob as he tried to rescue the deceased from the mob.

Four elderly people were on Monday killed in cold blood by an irate mob that suspected that the four deceased practiced witchcraft and were behind the death of their granddaughter who was struck by lightning.