Luwingu mourners flee funeral leaving grave open as bees attack

Mourners had a rude shock when a swarm of bees descended on them at Ipusukilo grave yard in Luwingu district of the Northern Province as they wanted to bury a 21 year old woman who died after a short illness.

The woman died at Luwingu District Hospital after a short illness and was taken from Saili village where she was staying to Ipusukilo village for burial but the mourners were attacked by bees for more than seven hours.

The bees attacked the mourners immediately after lowering the coffin into the grave, dispersing everyone who was around while a number of them sustained injuries as they scampered out of the grave yard.

A number of people were injured and badly stung by the angry bees at the grave yard yesterday.

The elderly people who would not run faster sustained serious injuries and badly stung by bees before they were rushed to the nearby Ipusukilo rural health centre for treatment.

The mourners told ZANIS in Luwingu that after fours they decided to go back to the grave but to their surprise the angry bees attacked them for the second time leaving grave open and left for their homes.

But the grave was buried by four young men who covered their bodies with plastics and later the bees descended on the nearby village forcing villagers to scamper in all directions.

They suspected that the woman died of witchcraft and played traditional magic to disperse the mourners using bees.

Zanis