A 34-year-old Malawian traditional doctor has been sentenced to 56 months imprisonment with hard labour for failing to resurrect a Nyau dancer who died in Kasenengwa while performing during Christmas celebrations.

Emmanuel Banda obtained K900 by false pretenses from the family of a dead Nyau, Drain Nyirenda, after claiming that he had powers to resurrect dead people.

Banda appeared before Chipata resident magistrate Destiny Kalusopa for judgment in two counts he was facing, including being found with a motorbike suspected to have been stolen.

During trial, Drain’s father Kenneth Nyirenda told the court that Banda obtained K900 from him at Katintha village in Kasenengwa under the pretext that he would bring to life his son, who died on Christmas Eve while performing Gologolo, a Gule Wamkulu dance of the Chewa which involves dancing on high poles..

Video below shows how did Gologolo lost his life: