Police in Dowa have arrested five men in connection with the brutal killing of 78-year-old Diness Mwanza over witchcraft accusations.
Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Alice Sitima, has identified the suspects as Mayamiko Banda, 30, who is the deceased’s last-born son, Tchauya Banda, 63, an in-law, Baiton Mafikeni, 49, Mwachilala Gilbert, 64, and Stephano Esau, 36.
According to Sitima, the incident occurred on September 21, 2026, at around 20:00 hours at Nyundo Village, Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa District.
“The deceased’s brother, Mafukeni Isaac, said that Mwanza had left home around 19:00 hours to escort her daughter-in-law who had visited. She informed her nephew that she would proceed to church but never returned. Later that evening, she was found dead in an irrigation canal with a deep cut wound to the head,” Sitima said.
A postmortem examination conducted at Dowa District Hospital established that death was due to severe head injury secondary to assault.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that they had been promised K300,000 by Baiton Mafikeni to carry out the murder.
All five suspects are expected to appear in court soon to answer a murder charge. Police have strongly condemned the act and warned that they will arrest anyone involved in the killing of elderly people over witchcraft accusations.
Mwachilala Gilbert hails from Chilombo Village, while the other four suspects are from Nyundo Village, Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa District.
