Villagers in Thyolo yesterday demanded an elderly woman to bring a dead man back to life following allegations that the woman killed the man using witchcraft.
The incident happened at Ngamwani and Sitima villages, in the area of Senior Chief Kapichi in Thyolo.
The man who was working as an intern at Thyolo District Hospital died over the weekend.
During his burial ceremony at a graveyard in the village, some children claimed that a certain elderly woman was behind the death of the man.
Villagers stopped the burial ceremony following the allegations and took the coffin to the woman’s house where they demanded that the woman should bring the dead man back to life.
There was commotion in the area for several hours as scores of villagers gathered at the woman’s house.
Police later intervened and held discussions with the bereaved family.
Village Headman Sitima of the area told the local media that the body was laid to rest last night following the discussions.
He added that the relatives of the dead man have also assured the woman of security in the village.
In Malawi, cases of elderly persons being attacked on allegations of witchcraft are common.
In Mzimba earlier this month, two elderly women were forced to bury a dead person on their own while one of the women fell into the grave after being badly beaten on allegations of witchcraft in the area of Inkosi Kampingo Sibande.
Accusing a person of practising witchcraft is an offence in Malawi under the Witchcraft Act of 1911 and convicts are liable to five years in prison.
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