Business in Kalabo district on Friday last week came to a standstill as everyone in the main business district rushed to Mapa area to witness a witch doctor who was receiving instant justice by villagers who suspected him of practicing witchcraft.
A witch finder whose real names are not known but popularly known as’ Mr Phone’ and a resident in Senanga district is believed to have powers to identify people practicing witchcraft and Satanism.
ZANIS reports that according to some eyewitnesses who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal confirmed the incident.
They said this happened when Mr Phone ‘s services were requested by a named family in Mapa area who wanted him to assist them identify the person behind the death of their daughter who died whilst giving birth in the labour ward at the Kalabo district hospital.
Mr Phone who spent over five hours dancing and chanting attracted scores of residents after word went round.
He later told the family that the person behind their daughter’s death was the husband.
It was at this point that Mr phone began to beat up the suspect with the help of some villagers.
The witch finder further led villagers to destroy the suspect’s shop and goods in the process the suspect sustained serious injuries.
Mr Phone avoided an interview with the ZANIS officer only promised to pass through the office a development that proved futile.
Kalabo Police Officer-In- Charge Kim Masambo confirmed having heard the incident but could not act because the complainant did not formally report the matter to police.
And Kalabo district Commissioner Masela Chinyama condemned the incident.
Mrs Chinyama advised the victim to take legal action against the witch finder as there was no evidence to prove his acts in the courts of law.
The district commission explained that Mr Phone had no rights whatsoever to assault people on witchcraft allegations and the aggrieved had all the rights to report him to relevant authorities.
The witch finder was right. It was the husband! He impregnated the woman, who died giving birth to his child due to labor complications. Genius!
This is one of the most use.less articles I have ever read here. Who given instant justice? Was it the witchfinder or the husband to the deceased?
@Dalitso kekekeke man this is not fun story, the lady died. If you think Mr. Phone is indeed real, then let him go and dance around state house so he can tell us who bewitched Ba Sata.
There is corelation between illiteracy, poverty witch finding and even strong beliefs in witch craft.
Not long ago a woman was murderd for harvesting 10 bags of shelled groundnuts.
Her murdreres claimed this was impossible. She must have used magic to steal other peoples groundnuts from their fields. Sadly more than 80% Zambians believe in this myth and would participate in murder.
this is a messy of an artilcle. i dont understand it
The article is right, nothing wrong with title or story itself. Only us and Kabimba who under witchcraft can comprehend this.
What is this? Who was being beaten?
This is bad reporting the headline reads
witch-finder-given-instant-justice-kalabo-district
He later told the family that the person behind their daughter’s death was the husband.
It was at this point that Mr phone began to beat up the suspect with the help of some villagers.
Yaba! Injobo
Reading the story, it is not the witchfinder who was beaten but the husband of the deceased. These villagers and their witchfinder are all barbaric. I think the man was just beaten out of jealous, because of his shop. This is why no tangible development is taken to these villages.
Wrong headline. How can you put “Witch finder given instant justice in Kalabo District” when it is the witch finder with the help of other people that gave another accused instant justice ?
I thought I was losing my mind. A grade one kid would have written this clearer than this fool who is paid to do this job
Ba LT fool or fuul is not an acceptable word
I don’t understand the story. There is mismatch between the headline and the content of the story. Editor do your job properly.
Jealousy, ignorance, st***pidity and superstition at their best. A real manifestation of Karl Marx’s description of peasants. Typical African society- other parts of the world are using science to understand and solve problems affecting them while our folks push everything to Witchcraft, Satan or Spirits.
He deserved that. I don’t see why an individual should think he or she has the right nor the powers to point at others that they are practicing wizardry or witchcraft. Nonsense….alase…he was done good.
….am guessing you really did not read the story…….
INSTANT KILLING IS MURDER NOT JUSTICE.
They should have performed Caesarean section and avoid that unneccesary death. This is one reason why Zambians need better hospitals and clinics. Worse money on treating politicians abroad. WHEN WILL TIME COME TO BUILD OWN MODERN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS?
….ba LT, this kind of ‘crookish’ and fraudulent type of journalism is not welcome at all. Why pose a title just meant to attract a blogger to open the article..??…Remember that each time I open up your site, I pay or someone is paying on my behalf. So we expect nothing short of professional and credible write ups. How many times have people complained of your spelling and grammar mistakes and you don’t seem to care at all….Don’t make us lose faith in LT as well………..
This witch finder is a lier, wanted to steal goods from his store, wansala uyu nganga.
…I’m not done yet with u ba LT, even if its just a copy and paste from ZANIS, u were supposed to investigate and give your own input as well. The focus was just on the unscrupulous five hour dancing and beating up of the ‘innocent suspect’….no details on the deceased or comment from medical personnel…..why??
Imwe na imwe ba LT. This is embarrassing. Was this written by someone who went through Journalism school? It shows you guys have no editor
The journalist who wrote this article deserves instant justice. Fire the fellow.
You think this is confusion?
Wait till the kids being taught in local languages graduate, as this will be the norm in Zambian papers.
Legacy of “P.F. progress”
I had to read this story several times to decipher it, but I guess the editor gave the story to his garden boy to edit it.
this article is confusing, witchfinder beats suspect, yet the heading says witchfinder gets instant justices