Mayhem in Mbayani after boy’s mysterious death

There was pandemonium on Tuesday in Mbayani Township, Blantyre when angry residents descended on a businessperson they suspected to have killed his nephew through magic.

During the fracas, the angry mob demolished a grocery shop of the trader, identified as Kandeu Mpiyama, after his nephew, Ibrahim, 18, died mysteriously early morning yesterday.

He is also accused of having killed his niece Memory (Ibrahim’s sister) last month.

According to witnesses, the fracas started as early as 7am when the mob descended on the shop, part of which was being used as Mpiyama’s house, and swept all groceries and other household property before pulling it down.

Members of the community policing swiftly rushed Mpiyama to Kabula Police Unit before he was transferred to Blantyre Police Station.

Blantyre Police spokesperson Elizabeth Divala confirmed the development yesterday, saying they were holding Mpiyama for protection as the matter was being investigated.

“The man is in custody to protect him from the mob. But our officers are investigating the matter to ascertain the truth,” said Divala.

The father of the deceased, Mike Ibrahima, said in an interview yesterday he believed his son was not dead because “Mpiyama has just removed his heart”.

Ibrahima said before his daughter died last month, she also mentioned that Mpiyama had taken her heart to his grocery shop and that she was going to die.