Police in Lilongwe have arrested a 65- year-old herbalist for allegedly administering poisonous herbs to a 60- year-old woman.
The deceased is identified as Teleza Kanthiti Samson, of Chingombe Village, Traditional Authority Chilooko in Ntchisi District.
The deceased was suffering from piles and on September 1, 2018, she went to seek traditional medicine from the herbalist by the name Patrick Wilitage at Chinsapo 2 in Lilongwe.
According to Lilongwe Police Public Relations Officer, Kingsley Dandaula, after hearing of the deceased’s ailment, the herbalist decided to give her herbs for the said disease.
“Upon taking the herbs, she started feeling unwell and was taken to Likuni Mission Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said Dandaula.
He said the body of the deceased was taken to Kamuzu Central Hospital for postmortem to establish the cause of death and that the specimen of the herb administered would be sent to Bwembaand College of Medicine for examination and analysis respectively.
The herbalist is in police custody at Lilongwe Police Station.
He hails from Dziwanga Village, Traditional Authority Ulongwe in the district of Angonia in Mozambique.
