The Harm

Mothers charged of murder in ‘witchcraft’ torching

Malawi Police has pressed murder charge to two mothers for burning their children to death in a ritual to exorcise demons.

Chifundo Chibwezo, Police spokesperson for Limbe Police Unit in the commercial city of Blantyre said Agness Kamanga-Gadama, 30, and Catherine Kamanga, 23 have been charged with murder for allegedly torching to death two children - aged three and seven - to exorcise them of “witchcraft”.

“We have charged them with murder,” said Chibwezo. “They both deny the charge,” he said.

Police arrested the women, members of the Assemblies of God church, after being tipped off by villagers who became suspicious of the smoke and noises from the house occupied by the sisters.

The suspects had locked up a total of four children in a squattertown house for a week to “pray and fast to cast out demons”.

The children allegedly confessed to practicing witchcraft.

“The women insist their children had demons that needed exorcising,” said Limbe Police Unit spokesman.

The two children who died on the spot were aged three and seven years, the police said.