Chiefs apologise for arson in Nkhotakota

Chief Mwansambo of Nkhotakota has condemned the burning of houses by irate community members following witchcraft accusations and regreted that such atrocity happened in his community.

The chief made the apology on Friday at Kaso Primary School in Chitsulo Village in the district where Minister of Homeland Security Nicolas Dausi sympathised with the victims and delivered relief items to affected households.

Mwansambo apologised to government and the victims and promised that such things will never happen again in his community.

“I, together with all the local leaders, apologise to the government and all victims of the witchcraft accusations who had their houses and belongings burnt by fire by irate community members.

“I promise that my area will remain peaceful and exemplary from now onwards and everyone shall be protected,” he said.

One of the victims, Emily Mzumazi, said she did not anticipate that such things would happen until the day when she found her house on fire while she was coming from the field.

Mzumazi failed to identify the people who committed the act, saying there were many people, including masked arsonists.

In his remarks, Dausi condemned the barbaric actions by the angry mobs and ordered police to beef up the commission of enquiry into the case. He said it is against the law to call someone a witch.

On November 6 this year, irate community members from the area in Nkhotakota torched about 30 houses belonging to families suspected of practicing witchcraft. n