MANSA High Court Judge In-Charge Emelia Sunkutu is concerned with high numbers of deaths caused by mob justice in Luapula Province.
Judge Sunkutu notes that it is sad that in this time and era people can still be killing each other on witchcraft suspicions.
ZANIS reports that Judge Sunkutu wants government and other stakeholders to help curb this vice of mob justice on suspicions of practicing witchcraft.
The Mansa High Court Judge In-Charge indicates that she has come to learn about the practice of ‘moving coffin’ locally known as Ichitaleme, where a coffin moves to locate the person behind the unexpected death of the deceased.
The High Court Judge explains that it is after the coffin has identified the killer that is when the mob starts beating and sometimes kill the person who has allegedly been identified by the coffin.
Judge Sunkutu reveals that most of the murder cases in the province involve those who killed their colleagues whom they suspected of practicing witchcraft.
More sensitisation needs to be conducted especially in rural parts of the province so that communities can stop engaging in vices such as Ichitaleme, she pointed out.
Meanwhile, Mansa Catholic Diocese Bishop Patrick Chisanga has advised people in Luapula to focus on working hard as opposed to idling.
Bishop Chisanga points out that people should understand that there is death, hence, there is no need to start seeking for the person behind the death which they experience in families.
He advises families to be leaving everything in the hands of God whenever their beloved ones pass on.
Bishop Chisanga has since directed Priests in Luapula to help in educating people against venturing in practices such as Ichitaleme.
And Luapula Chief’s Council Chairperson Chief Chisunka says Ichitaleme is usually practiced by those people who are lazy in chiefdoms as they target their colleagues who are hardworking.
Dr Chisunka observes that most of the times that said coffin targets those people who seem to be doing fine in communities in terms of business or agriculture production.
The traditional leader points out that Chiefs have been trying to sensitize their subjects against engaging in such vices as they are detrimental to the development of villages.
The Luapula Chief’s Council Chairperson has further called for the reinforcement of the law which deals with those killing their friends on witchcraft suspicions.
Ichitaleme is one of the common practices in Luapula Province where relatives of a bereaved family seek to find out the person behind the death of their deceased.
