Police in Thyolo on Tuesday teargassed angry villagers who stormed Molande village, Senior Chief Nchilamwera, in order to kill an elderly woman accused of practising witchcraft.

The incident came after a teenage boy went missing in the village.

In an interview, village headman Molande said  on Sunday, 6 September 2020, a teenage boy left home accompanied by four friends to Nchima estate owned dam.

While there, he swam for some time but hen then drowned and his friends failed to rescue him.

“The friends reported to his family who went to search for the missing body but no avail,” said Molande.

Family members started pointing fingers at each over the issue and one elderly person allegedly claimed that the boy had been kept in cave and will appear after some days.

That is when the villagers started accusing the granny of being behind the issue of the missing boy.

On Tuesday morning, the suspected granny sought refuge at Chief Molande’s home in order to be
secured.

At around 12:00 noon, the mob engulfed Molande’s house saying the woman should be released so that they should kill her.

About 8 police officers rushed to the scene where they fired teargas and rescued the granny. Police officers from Blantyre also went to the area to bring order.

Credit: Malawi 24