Police in Rumphi have placed in custody a Group Village Headman and four others for maliciously damaging four houses and accusing owners of the houses of practising witchcraft.
The arrest was made on March 15, 2022, during an intelligence led sweeping exercise conducted at Hewe area in the district.
Facts of the matter are that two families have been in disagreement over land ownership.
As time passed, one of the relatives of the suspects died on March 2, 2022. However, during funeral vigil , Group Village Headman Yateta accused some members of Chawinga family of bewitching the deceased.
Relatives of the deceased on March 11 went on rampage and demolished four houses and other property belonging to Chawinga family members. The value of damaged property was yet to be established.
The suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges of charging a person with witchcraft and malicious damage.
Meanwhile, Rumphi Police is appealing to people in the district to avoid taking the law into their own hands whenever they disagree. Further, police have warned that law breakers will be tracked down and taken to book accordingly.
The suspects are; Penston Chawinga 62 of Yiteta Village, Sanudi Ng’ambi 48, Kenani Ng’ambi 33 both from Malisira Village, Lezawawa Ng’ambi 42 from Chalowalowa Village and Catherine Ng’ambi of Kasalika Village both are under Traditional Authority Katumbi in Rumphi District.
