Three Arrested for Allegedly Murdering Grandmother Suspected of Witchcraft in Mulanje

Innocent Moses, Mulanje police public relations officer, explained that Ellen Chipangula, now deceased, died a natural death after a prolonged illness. She had undergone an abdominal operation at Mulanje District Hospital on December 07, 2023.

Postmortem results from a clinical officer at Namasalima Health Centre revealed that the cause of death was internal bleeding due to fractured ribs on her right side, a result of the assault.

The incident occurred on December 21 at Thigira village in the area of Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje.

Three suspects, Bauleni Chipangula (23), Martin Misomali (19), and Dalitso Misomali (21), all from the same village, have been identified in connection to the case.

Ellen Chipangula’s siblings allegedly attacked their grandmother, Elisa Supuni, 73, suspecting her of bewitching their sister who died on December 21, 2023.

After their sister’s death, the suspects assaulted their grandmother along with three other elders, who were treated as outpatients at the hospital.

The Mulanje police received a report on the incident, leading to the arrest of the three men involved in the alleged murder.