Granny ‘witch’ gets mob justice: Malawi Police arrest five

An angry mob in Blantyre stoned to death a 73-year-old woman  for allegedly being a ‘witch’.

The incident happened Tuesday and meanwhile police have arrested five people in connection to the incident.

 Blantyre police assistant Public Relations Officer, Andrew Mayawo identified the deceased as Esmy Andrew Khanawe of Mbala village, T/A Somba.

 “On Monday (12th December) Khanawe’s grandchild Nyamazao Mlangali died without any illness, prompting some villagers to speculate that it was the granny who killed her through witchcraft,” explained Mayawo.

 And on Tuesday 13th December some irate villagers attacked Khanawe and stoned her to death.

  Medical postmortem revealed that Khanawe died due to brain damage while her grandchild it was natural death.

 “Investigations are underway to arrest more suspect and unearth more information about the incident,” added Mayawo.

 Belief in witchcraft runs deep in the conservative southern African country.

Malawi does not recognize witchcraft and those found accusing others of such are penalized the court of law.

George Thindwa, who heads the Association of Secular Humanism (ASH),  argues that witchraft does not exist and challenges anyone to bewitch him to get a bounty of millions from him.

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Frank
Frank
7 years ago

Too bad.Let the mob face the law.

Ntchona
Ntchona
7 years ago

There is no way those who have killed this poor granny can prove beyond reasonable doubt that she was a witch. Everything is based on hearsay or suspicion and more likely because she was too old. Whether witchcraft is practiced in Malawi that’s no reason to kill someone. In constitutional democracy if ever we have one we should respect one another and uphold the law. This is barbaric and unacceptable, we should condemn these kind of acts where people act savagely against others without tangible proof. To grow old and poor should not be a crime.

The Wise
7 years ago

To kill a person for being a witch is not a solution, witchcraft is from the devil and when you kill the witch, the evil spirits move out of him and look for a new home. Witchcraft exists, it is mentioned more than 25 times in the Holy Bible, unless you don’t believe there is God, you cannot take this.

nkalabongo
nkalabongo
7 years ago

sorry old woman. RIP

MASO A NKHONO
MASO A NKHONO
7 years ago

KAGOGO KAKANGOKHALA KOSAUKA AKUTI NDIKAFITI KOMA KAKAKHALANSO NDIZIWETO NDI NG’OMBENSO OLO ZAKUDYA ZAMBIRI ZABVUTANSO

AZUNGUTU ANZATHU
AMATSAMALIRA TINKHALAMBA TAWO

IFEYO BVUTO LATHU NCHANI ??

Nambewe
Nambewe
7 years ago

Mb Justice needs to stop in Malawi. Nobody is ever able to prove that anybody is a witch! You can speculate but that does not give you a right to kill anybody! This is barbaric behaviour and congratulations to the law upholders in our country for arresting these savgaes! make sure they get the stiofest of punishments so that the whole thing stops.

Dyson kasamba
Dyson kasamba
7 years ago

This is not the way matters should be handled.zomalozana zala kuti uyu ndi nfiti its oldmyths lets be civilised guys.

Chitukuko
7 years ago

Much that in Sub-Saharan Africa there is strong belief in witchcraft, it does not mean that if a person has become a granny then automatically s/he is a witch or wizard. Let’s be careful and avoid mob justice. We will end up killing innocent people and regret at the end.

kamangadazi
7 years ago

Yes, by Law Witchcraft is not recognised in Malawi. But it is there & will still be there.

B Goat Ratty
B Goat Ratty
7 years ago
Reply to  kamangadazi

So you agree with those that killed the granny

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