Witch Doctor Nearly Lynched By ‘Mob’ In Chainda Compound

Residents of Lusaka’s Chainda compound on Monday clobbered a witch doctor of Chongwe who was accused of bewitching members of a family, some of whom have died.

The witch doctor, identified by police as 68-year-old Peter Siame, was alleged hired by a Mrs Chisanga of Avondale who instructed him to kill her husband, his family and eight others, states deputy police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga.

The mob justice, according to Hamoonga, descended on Siame when he had gone to apologise to the family of the deceased, but a relative alerted other people that the witch doctor accused of being behind the deaths of their relatives was in the house.

The angry mob tied tyres around Siame with the intention of burning him to death, but police rescued him. However, he had already received a good beating by then, leaving him with a broken jaw.

“Police at Simon Mwansa Kampwepwe in Avondale are investigating a matter that occurred onFebruary. 4th, 2019 at around 20:00 hrs in which a mob justice descended on male Witch Doctor and tied some tyres around him so that they can burn him to death. Facts of the matter are that around November 2018, the witch doctor (Peter Siame, 68 years) was approached by the wife to a Mr Chisanga, a local businessman, to kill him, his family and eight others. According to the list that was given to the witch doctor, two members of the same family died within a week and the story came to light which incensed the public who apprehended Mrs Chisanga and they wanted to kill her but was rescued by the Police. At this moment, the Witch Doctor escaped and ran away to Chongwe where he stays. However, Mrs Chisanga was kept in custody for her safety and the family for the deceased persons were advised to take a civil suit,” stated Hamoonga.

“The case came up for a hearing on 4th February, 2019 at Chelstone local court [and] the Witch Doctor also attended. After the court case, they went to Chainda with the Witch Doctor where he apologised and revealed to have been paid K2,500=00 to kill the two persons, while the other person is nursing a swollen leg (a niece to the other two deceased persons). It was at this point that one of the family members informed the neighbours that the Witch Doctor was in the house and that was how they descended on him. Quick action by police rescued him and was taken to Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital where he is currently admitted. He sustained a broken jaw and is not able to talk. We are appealing to the general public to desist from taking the law in their own hands but rather let the due process of the law to take its full course.”