Malawi witchcraft murders: Court yet to assign judge
The High Court in Blantyre is yet to assign a judge on a landmark case in which 10 people are accused of murdering four elderly people in Mwanza on allegations of witchcraft.
Judiciary spokesperson Mlenga Mvula said in an interview the court is yet to assign a judge to the case and did not indicate when the process will start.
As reported by Nyasa Times, Byson Kanjete, 73, Eliza Enoce Kanjete, 86, Elenefa Kanjete, 76 and Idesi Julius Kanjete, 69, were beaten to death by members of the community who accused them of being involved in witchcraft and causing the death of a 17-year-old girl.Four elderly men were brutally murdere in Chimbalanga Village in Mwanza.
A teenage girl was arranging buckets on a veranda in order to collect rain water when she was struck by lightning.
Following the incident, the community organised themselves into a mob, and accused the four of being involved in witchcraft and causing the girl’s death.
The mob then beat them to death.
Southern region police spokesperson James Kadazera said the 10 suspects are on full remand at Chichiri prison awaiting to answer murder charges.
He said the police are ready with the case and are only awaiting judiciary to set a date for the hearing of the case.
The murder of the four elderly related people angered many and renewed calls for the protection of the elderly people in Malawi who face many abuses including murder on allegations of witchcraft.
President Peter Mutharika urged Malawians “to stop accusing the elderly of witchcraft whenever someone dies”.
The Malawi Civil Society also spoke up against the attacks, saying: “We would like to remind Malawians that mob justice violence, whatever the reasons behind it, finds no justification in both our domestic and international legal human rights system as it violates the right to due process, sanctity of life (Section 16 of Malawi Constitution) and their presumptive innocence until proven otherwise by a competent court of law.”
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Eshi! Mlenga! You are the missing link between a human and a chimpazee! Koma uli ndi banja? No reasonable woman would want those genes! pepani
Neno, not Mwanza. where do you get your facts from?
This Mlenga Mvula is too ugly perhaps he should be Mlenga Vimwekumweku. Why do you like showing us this ugliest guy with red lips as if he is a black dude in Asterix Comics Books. Next time please just show us his bum as it will suffice.