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Zambia. A 14 year old girl of Nanjuwa village Chief Muwezwa Chiefdom in Itezhi Tezhi District Southern Province has been burnt to death as a religious leader and six other men including the girl’s father were conducting a procedure to exorcise alleged demons from her. She was in Grade 10.
Central Province Police Commanding Officer, Donald Mwandila says the girl’s 35 year old father identified as, Gift Siyainga Mbulo Michelo and five others took the girl to an Evangelist at Zion Church, Pancho Shimangwala to perform some rituals to exorcise the demons.
He says the girl was made to sit on the ground and a pot containing hot stones placed between her legs. Mr. Mwandila says then the girl’s father was asked to pour spirit and vinegar into to the pot containing the hot stones, then covered the girl in a blanket, which the other five men held tightly for the steam not to go out.
He says due to this process preliminary investigations indicate the girl got burnt and suffocated to death. Mr. Mwandila says police visited the scene and found the body with multiple burns on the face, right thigh, left knee and hands and in a decomposed state.
He says due to the state of the body the family was advised to bury and mark the grave for exhumation. Mr. Mwandila says police have since apprehended the six suspects to help in investigations. The girl’s grandfather identified as Jericho Siabunda of Kambobe Mumbwa reported the incident to police and identified the girl as Chipo Molomoga.
