Woman lynched over claims of ‘bewitching’ pupils
A map of Mwende Primary School in Makueni County where villagers lynched a woman claiming she is a witch. GRAPHIC | GOOGLE MAP
What you need to know:
- Members of her family, including her husband, were forced to flee from their home.
- He said three of the four affected pupils dropped out of school this year.
Residents of Mwana Village in Makueni County on Tuesday night lynched a woman they alleged was behind a wave of hysterical behaviour that affected pupils in the area.
The attackers accused 65-year old Grace Mwanza of bewitching pupils of Mwende Primary School and causing them to start behaving hysterically.
"Members of the public went to her home, beat her up and set her on fire," Mbooni East OCPD Peter Njeru told the Nation by phone.
Members of her family, including her husband, were forced to flee from their home.
He said that police were investigating the incident.
According to John Munovi, the school deputy headmaster, one of the pupils who was behaving hysterically named the woman, prompting the public to go to her home.
He said four pupils in the school have been hysterical for the past two years and parents have been calling preachers to pray for the affected.
He said three of the four affected pupils dropped out of school this year.
The charred remains of the woman were taken to the Makueni County Referral Hospital mortuary.
