Gule Wamkulu ‘Kamano’ in Police Custody for Assaulting a 3-Year-Old

Police in Nkhotakota are keeping in custody a Gule Wamkulu dancer famously known as Kamano for the charge of unlawful wounding a 3-year-old child during a traditional ceremony.

The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Pilirani Ching`oma who committed the offence on 3 January in Kapenda village in the area of Senior Chief Malengachanzi in the district.

According to Nkhotakota police spokesperson Williams Kaponda, there was a traditional ceremony in the area on that day whereby Gule Wamkulu dancers were among other performers.

The suspect`s turn to perform came and he went in to dance but to his surprise, a group of women who were singing for other dancers had seized to sing well during his turn.

After his efforts to appeal to the women to sing to his expectations failed, he resolved into violence whereby he started chasing the women and other spectators with a spear in his hand.

During the chase, the victim`s mother had carried his child in the back and the suspect targeted them.

He then threw his spear and hit the child on the left leg but unfortunately he was caught as he was trying to flee after realizing that he had injured the kid.

Villagers took him to village headman Kapenda who referred the matter to police.

Ching`oma is currently in police custody where he is waiting to appear in court soon to answer the charge of unlawful wounding.

He comes from Khufu village, Senior Chief Malengachanzi in Nkhotakota.