Villagers demand release of witchdoctor from police custody

Irate villagers in Rumphi stoned Hewe Police Station and injured an officer after the law enforcers arrested a witchdoctor and parents of a child who went missing in 2012.

Rumphi Police Publicist, Henry Mnjere, said police arrested the parents ad the witchdoctor for accusing an elderly person of being behind the child’s diapperance.

He said they arrested Griffin and Winnie Kachale alongside Machilitso Mwale from Ntchisi, over witchcraft accusations.

“The witchdoctor told the family that the missing boy was alive and that he was being kept in a house of an elderly person in the same village.

“After making the announcement, the witchdoctor created some peculiar scene by entering in the house of the suspected witch through the roof, but to the villagers’ surprise he never showed them the boy he claimed of being in the house,” Mnjere explained.

Police said the accused reported the matter to Hewe Police Post in the area, leading to the arrest of the three.

He said villagers went to the police post demanding the release of the arrested suspects hoping that if given a chance, the witchdoctor would still find the missing child.

“They [irate villagers] did not find the suspects as they were transferred to Rumphi Police Station. This did not go well with them and they started stoning the Police Post, damaging windows, doors and furniture in the process.

“One of the officers on duty was also assaulted and was treated as an out-patient at Katowo Health Centre,” he added.

The total value for the damaged property at the police post is yet to be established and no one has so far been arrested over the damage of the police post.

The three suspects will appear before court soon to answer the charge of accusing a person of practicing witchcraft.

Griffin Kachale and Winnie Kachale hail from Katamaji Village in Traditional Authority Katumbi in the district while Machilitso Mwale comes from Kasakula Village in T.A. Kasakula in Ntchisi.

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