2 more Blantyre women in shocking deaths

Barely days after 2 Blantyre-based ladies were struck to death by lighting 2 more women are reported dead in the district after one was stoned by an angry mob and another drowned in a river.

The death by stoning

Angry villagers on Tuesday night stoned to death a 74 year-old woman in Mabalanje village, Traditional Authority(T/A) Nsomba in Blantyre suspecting her of practicing witchcraft.

According to Blantyre police station deputy spokesperson Andrew Mayawo, the deceased, Esme Khanawe was believed to have had a hand in the death of her 15 year-old granddaughter who died suddenly earlier this week.

“They started stoning her at around 2am while vigil for her granddaughter’s funeral was still taking place at her Mabalanje village in the area of Traditional Authority Somba in the district,” explained Mayawo.

He said post-mortem conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital revealed that Khanawe died due to severe brain damage.

Meanwhile police have arrested five people in connection to the murder.

Mayawo said the five will be taken to court to answer charges of murder when police are through with investigations.

A lady drowns while crossing a river

Still in Blantyre, a woman in her 40’s has drowned after she failed to cross a flooded Mbame river at Malowa Village in the area of T/A Somba.

Mayawo confirmed the development identifying the woman as Aida Mtwana.

He said the incident happened in Tuesday at around 11 am.

“She was coming from her farm and found that the river between her home village and the farm had over-flooded. She tried to cross the river but was swept away,” explained Mayawo adding that her body was found on the lower course of the river hours later.

Mayawo has since warned people never to attempt crossing flooded rivers in this rainy season.