Police in Luapula have arrested four people for allegedly exhuming a dead body of a named person in Mansa district and obtaining remains of the corpse to use for rituals.
Police Spokesperson Esther Mwaata Katongo disclosed in a statement that this happened at a named village in Chief Mibenge’s area where the four among them, a witch finder trespassed a burial site and tempered with two graves.
“Police in Mansa District of Luapula Province have arrested four people among them, a witch finder for trespassing on a burial place. Those arrested are Emmanuel Kasuba aged 35 also known as Doctor Cheswa, Francis Malemba aged 50, Ngandwe Balakeni aged 35 all of Chitente Village, Chief Milenge of Mansa and Conelious Mwilambwe aged 56 of Chilumba village Chief Kasoma Bangweulu of Samfya District also a witch finder. It is alleged that the suspects went to Nengenenge burial site and exhumed a body of a named deceased person who died in 2010 and removed a bone from the remains which they allegedly hid at a named place in Chief Mibenge’s area,” stated Katongo.
“The burial site was visited and two graves were discovered tempered with. After investigations, suspected human bones and other human remains were recovered yesterday and are yet to be subjected to forensic examination. The suspects are still detained in police custody yet to be charged.”
According to sources, the witch finder is a blind man.
“This is very shocking because the man who was leading them is actually blind. So how did he know exactly where to go? He is even the one who led police to the graves” the sources wondered.