5 suspected elderly women’s killers held
THE Misungwi district defence and security committee in Mwanza Region is holding five people, over suspicions of being part of a network that is behind the killing of elderly people. One of them, Nchali Zachariah, is a witchdoctor.
The others are Simon Malonja a resident of Ibongoya A in the district, Charles Kasuluzu a resident of Ibogoya A and Samike Kinasa. Security organs have been tracking the members of the group since 2013, over suspected involvement in killing four elderly women and chopping off their breasts and secret parts. The body items, which are perceived to be powerful agencies for generating wealth, are highly prized and in great demand.
The Misungwi district defence and security committee chairperson, Mr Juma Sweda, told the ‘Sunday News’ recently that the law would take its course in connection with the suspects. He elaborated: “We have been tracking them for a long time without success, but now that we have arrested them, they will subsequently appear in court to charges related to being members of a killing network.”
In many parts of the world, elderly women are still persecuted and accused of witchcraft. Recent media reports have highlighted the problem in Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal and Tanzania though the problem is much more widespread than this. In most of these countries, belief in witchcraft is common, with people from all sections of society sharing this belief regardless of their level of education, socio-economic group or ethnic origin.
It is usually the most discriminated against and marginalised in society who are accused of witchcraft because they are either least able to defend themselves from attack and are therefore easy targets or because they are considered of little value to society and therefore a burden to it in times of hardship. Although older men and younger women are sometimes targeted, in many cases, those accused are older women.
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