Man gets 5 yrs for magical transportation

Chikumbutso Mponda of Ntchisi is behind bars after he fell down from a magic plane on his way to his home village.

Mponda was Thursday sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour without option by Mponela Magistrate Court for practising witchcraft.

Passing judgment, First Grade Magistrate Hends Kantchere said he gave Mponda a stiffer sentence in line with Section 4 of the Witchcraft Act, and that cases of witchcraft were on the increase.

“Innocent people are being affected directly or indirectly, especially children who are being taught the act without their knowledge,” said Kantchere.

According to Mponela Police public relations officer Kondwani Kandiado, the court heard that on Christmas eve Mponda was traveling from Lilongwe to his home village in Ntchisi using a magic plane.

Due to lack of money for transport, he boarded a minibus to Mponela where he arrived at night.

Kandiado said since it was at night and fearing for their lives, the convict and a friend decided to use a magic plane for the remainder of the trip.

“Unfortunately, Mponda fell from the magic plane after it flew over a house at Mponela Trading Centre, which was heavily protected magically,” said Kandiado.

He further said the convict was stripped naked by the house’s owner who he could not identify and his belongings were also taken away, including his JC and MSCE certificate.

Kandiado said it was people who were coming from a drinking spree that found him and reported him to police.