Mob kills man over witchcraft in Mulanje

A mob in Mulanje on Tuesday killed a 55-year-old  Mandson Benson on allegations that he was practicing witchcraft.

Mulanje Police Station Officer, Isaiah Mlowoka,  said  the deceased was being accused for having a hand in a death of another man identified as Chifundo Mwenye from the same village earlier this month.

Mlowoka said Mwenye’s relations ganged up on Tuesday around 13hours and assaulted Benson to death.

Police spokesman said the incident happened at Kalamwa Village, in the area of Traditional Authourity (TA) Mabuka in the district.

“The deceased was indeed assaulted to death by an angry mob led by some relatives of the person who was said to have been killed by the deceased using witchcraft and was pronounced dead at Mulanje District Hospital,” he explained.

Police  have since arrested seven suspects and  charged them with murder and are currently in custody awaiting court appearance.

Police have since advised the public to resist from taking the law into their hands.

Belief in witchcraft runs deep in Malawi  where curses and spells are blamed for everything from unexplained deaths to the spread of HIV/Aids to irregular rainfall.