Police in Dowa have arrested 12 villagers for inciting violence, malicious damage, theft and setting ablaze property amounting to K6,590,000 at Katsukunya village in the district.

According to Dowa police publicist Alice Sitima, the suspects demolished houses belonging to Lunia Mafiken and her son on suspicion that the woman had killed her nephew, who died on road accident, through magic.

The suspects went on to steal cash amounting to K89,000, eight window frames, three goats among other items before they torched both houses.