Chiefs in Dedza wants witchcraft act translated in Chichewa

By Yankho Maunjiri

Group Village Headman (GVH) Mpalale in Dedza says there is a need to translate the witchcraft Act into Chichewa language so as to help people in the communities understand it better and minimize the cases of mob justice which come due to misunderstanding of the act.

Mpalale said this on Thursday during Police Officer’s community sensitization on various issues held in his area.

He said there is a need for law enforcers in the country to keep people aware of the country’s laws as most cases of mob justice are done due to lack of knowledge on what to do with suspected offenders.

‘‘My subjects will no longer be involved in the act of mob justice as these were happening because people were lacking knowledge of the law,” said Mpalale.

The chief Mphale commended the police for embarking on the initiative of sensitizing communities on various issues saying the move is acting like an instrumental tool in creating a good working relationship between the law enforcers and citizenry.

In his remarks, Dedza Police Deputy Publicist Sergeant Cassim Manda, reminded the residents that their responsibility as community members is to be alert and work with the police.

‘‘Your responsibility as community members is to be alert and work with the police rather than judging and applying inhumane tactics to crucifying other human beings based on unsupported judgment,” said Manda.

Manda further warned communities to refrain from mob justice as this will land them in jail.

In Dedza, the office of Police Public Relations has embarked on a campaign dubbed ant-vigilantism, an initiative which aims at formulation of a booklet with mob justice related information.