Witchcraft plane crashes, suspect in police custody

People around Soche Quarry in Blantyre early Tuesday morning were treated to a rare spectacle after a witchcraft ‘plane’ crashed on the roof of Thomas Kasambaras’ house.

When The Daily Time crew arrived at the place at around 10 am, hundreds of people were at the place scrambling to catch a glimpse of the flying magic basket.

A witchdoctor contracted by the owner of the house to exorcise the ‘plane’ said the winnowing basket, coated in a white and black cloth, and also had in it a needle, pieces of meat and salt mixed with charcoal-like powder, crashed because it developed faults on its way to kill Kasambara.

The witchdoctor, known as Kachepa, said that after consulting her ‘spirits’ she was informed that the flying basket belonged to one woman from a nearby village, identified only as Jessie Mphande.

When Police officers questioned Mphande, she vehemently denied that she was the owner of the flying basket.

The witchdoctor further disclosed that the basket could take to the air with over 2,000 passengers within and across the boarders.

“This plane can carry over 2,000 people to Nsanje, Mozambique, London and wherever the passengers might want to visit,” she said.

A tearful Mphande seriously denied allegations that she had sent the flying basket, and asked God to bail her out and vindicate her.

“Ooh my God! Lero ndikhale mfiti zowana?” (Why am I being accused of witcraft?) she queried.

She added, “At no time I have ever been associated with witchcraft, not even my late mother. I pray to God that He should bail me out.”

When Kasambara was asked whether he had any problem with Mphande, he replied, “We have never quarrelled. Honestly, I was in good books with her. I was surprised when the witchdoctor mentioned her as the owner the flying basket.”

Kasambara said he has just been discharged from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where he was admitted for a month with a tumour on his left thigh.

However according to the witchdoctor, the flying doctor was being piloted by a child who was sent to kill Kasambara but the mission failed because the basket crashed down.

“The assignment was not accomplished because the basket crashed and the child inside managed to escape unhurt”, the witchdoctor said.

Police however took away both Mphande and the witchdoctor to assist with further investigations.

“We want to establish the truth. Witchcraft allegations are serious and it is not easy to know the truth.

“Particularly, we want to safeguard the suspect from the infuriated community,” said Davie Chingwalu spokesperson for Southern Region Police.

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