There was a running battle on Tuesday between police and angry mob who wanted to kill a man whom they suspect to have bewitched another man who died mysteriously in Manjabala village in the area of traditional authority Kyungu in Karonga.

Karonga police deputy spokesperson George Mulewa identified the man who has since been rescued as Wilfred Kapetapeta Kailisi aged 69.

Reports say a 40-year-old man died mysteriously in the same village of Manjabala where Kailisi stays.

Following the mysterious death, villagers concluded that the man was killed through witchcraft by another man identified as Kaomba Mwenenjaba who is a close friend to the rescued person, Kailisi.

When Mwenenjaba heard the news that an angry mob is heading to his house with an aim to kill him, he swiftly disappeared from his compound such that the mob did not find him and in anger, they started to demolish his house and properties.

“They then proceeded to Kailisi’s house to deal with him, alleging that Mwenenjaba and Kailisi had jointly bewitched the deceased knowing that the two are friends,” Mulewa said.

As the mob was arriving at Kailisi’s house, police officers also appeared prompting the mob to cause chaos at the scene by stoning the law enforcers.

After some minutes of running battles with the mob, police managed to rescue the man and took him to Karonga District Hospital for medical treatment as he sustained injuries at the scene.

Meanwhile, police are still advising people to desist from mob justice.