Man burns stepson’s hands over Mkhwani (Pumpkin leaves)

A four-year-old child in Kabwinja Village, Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa, is nursing severe injuries after his stepfather reportedly burnt his hands for eating pumpkin leaves (mkhwani) from a cooking pot.

Mphudzu Ward councillor Billy Mtika said on Tuesday that neighbors were alerted by the child’s screams and rushed to the house, where they found the suspect holding the boy’s hands over an open fire as punishment.

Despite the gravity of the injuries, it has been established that the child was not taken to a hospital. Instead, the family reportedly resorted to an archaic home remedy of pouring the child’s own urine on the burns.

“It has been several days since the incident occurred, but the child has not received any medical attention. They have just been using urine on the wounds,” Mtika said.

In a dramatic twist, the child’s mother reportedly turned herself in at Kalipano Police Unit, allegedly in an attempt to shield her husband from being arrested. She is currently in police custody.

Efforts to get a comment from Dowa Police spokesperson were unsuccessful as his phone went unanswered on several attempts.