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Police in Mponela, Dowa, are keeping in custody two men for charging a person with witchcraft.
The two suspects are identified as Aliyere Chafikana Jeputala 62, who hails from Tchawale village in the area of Traditional Authority Kayembe and Prophet Samuel Josam, 32,who hails from Chakhaza village in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhaza all from Dowa District.
Police arrested the two on June 9, 2021 at around 07:00 hours at Tchawale village.
Facts are that it was in 2020 when Chafikana Jeputala (son to Aliyere Chafikana) passed on after a short illness at Mtengowanthenga Mission Hospital and burial took place on the next day. Since the death there have been misunderstandings in the village that the deceased was killed by his father through magic and later the matter was resolved amicably.
On May 5, 2021 rumors started circulating that the father of the deceased was preparing to invite the prophet to come on June 8, 2021 and resurrect the deceased as the second suspect (Prophet Samuel Josam) was telling people in the village that the reporter was involved in the mysterious death of the deceased and they had sold him to a certain businessman who runs a maize mill in the area.
On June 8, 2021 the villagers gathered to witness the ordeal but unfortunately the deceased didn’t resurrect which led to the arrest of the two.
The suspects are in police custody and they will appear before court soon to answer charges of charging a person with witchcraft which contravenes Section 4 of the Witchcraft Act.
