Elderly people's organisation condemns beating of Mzimba "witches"

Malawi: Two elderly people were harassed in Mzimba district on December 3, 2020, for allegedly practising witchcraft.

The two women were beaten and forced to bury the dead at Mandala Zimba Village in Eswazini.

According to Mzimba Spokesperson Sub Inspector Peter Botha, the victim Christina Mphande, of Mandala Zimba T/A Kampingo Sibande in Mzimba, was accused by family members of bewitching her daughter-in-law who died in South Africa.

On November 12, 2022, the victim's daughter-in-law died in South Africa, and family members suspected that she was bewitched by the victim's mother-in-law, Christina Mphande.

The body was repatriated from South Africa, and it was taken to the graveyard for burial on Friday, December 2, 2022.

During the burial ceremony, a group of people grabbed the victim and forced her to bury the deceased alone because she was accused of bewitching the deceased.

The victim was forced to begin burying the dead on her own, but she was helped by her sister.

During the process, the victim was assaulted to the point where she lost two teeth. She was eventually forced into the grave, where she was to be buried alive.

Her sister and daughters rescued her. The incident was reported to the police.

Andrew Kavala, Executive Director of Malawi Network for Older Persons, described the act as "barbaric" in an interview with AfricaBrief.

According to Kavala, if someone is wronged, they should seek justice/redress through the established justice delivery system rather than taking the role into their own hands.

Meanwhile, police in Mzimba are looking for the suspects so that they can face the law and answer charges of unlawful wounding and accusing someone of witchcraft.