A court in Malawi has fined a 34-year-old woman, Veronica Chakhumbira K30,000for calling a fellow woman a witch on Facebook.
The Midima First Grade Magistrate’s Court in Blantyre heard that Chakhumbira posted the insult on her Facebook page in March 2024, despite being warned by the police to desist from doing so.
The court heard through state prosecutor, Sergeant Henry Chinyamula, that Chakhumbira continued to call the victim a witch even after being warned by the police.
According to Sub Inspector Chibisa Mulimbika, Deputy Public Relations Officer at Limbe Police Station, the woman was charged with “charging a person with witchcraft,” an offense contrary to Section 4 of the Witchcraft Act.
Chakhumbira pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to pay a fine of 30,000 kwacha or serve a jail sentence of one month.
Passing sentence, First Grade Magistrate Lameck Mkwapatira said the punishment was meant to serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.
The convict has since paid the fine.
