Suspected witch badly beaten by mob, hospitalized

A 72 –year- old woman of chief Mulundu in Mwense district is nursing injuries at Mwense stage II rural health Centre after a mob beat her on suspicion of being a witch.

Eye witnesses who narrated the incident to ZANIS in the area today said the woman was found naked after she crash-landed on her way to allegedly perform some witchcraft activities over the weekend.

They narrated that the mob then descended on her after she was suspected to be a witch but she was rescued by police officers from Mwense police station.

They explained that the police officers then took her to Mwense stage II clinic for medical attention.Health workers at the institution also confirmed having admitted the patient but disclosed that she was out of danger and that she would be discharged soon.

And a check by ZANIS at the clinic found a lot of people not for medical attention but making efforts to have a glimpse of the suspected witch.

But Luapula province deputy police commissioner Webby Shula said police in Mwense who rushed to the scene discovered that the woman had taken some local beer.

He said the woman has since been charged with criminal trespass because there is no evidence to prove the alleged offence.

Zanis