4 held for 'witchcraft' killings
2002-11-12 12:12
Blantyre - Malawi police have arrested the parents and two relatives of two children for allegedly murdering them to exorcise evil spirits.
Police spokesperson Dave Chingwalu said they had pressed murder charges against Clifford Bwanali and his wife, Dorothy, his aunt, Rhoda Chikoko, and sister Maureen for the murder of Frank, aged three, and Enock, aged two months.
He said the incident happened in the shanty town of Manase, on the outskirts of Blantyre.
Chingwalu said: "We will bring them to a court of law to answer murder charges."
Thomas Masese, a party official in the township, said the four admitted to have "cleansed the children of witchcraft" after claiming their aunt had been resurrected from the grave and sent by ancestral spirits to cleanse the family.
Witnesses said they heard screams coming from the house and several residents broke in.
They said the four had sharpened a long rod which they shoved into each child's anus to rid him of witchcraft.
Frank died at the house and Enock died later, after his mother had surrendered to police.
Malawi newspapers on Tuesday splashed a picture of the slain three-year-old lying in a pool of blood with deep cuts on his face.
Witchcraft beliefs run deep in Malawi. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA