The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges the police in Zambia to ensure that Tyson Matimba, 49 who reportedly killed his uncle, Edward Hatwiko, 81 of Chigabwa village, in Pemba district is brought to justice. As reported in the local media, “Brief facts of the matter are that in July 2024 the suspect, Tyson Matimba, lost his daughter, Sharon Hamaimbo, and he suspected his now deceased Uncle to have bewitched her. Since that time the suspect has been repeatedly insulting the now deceased, accusing him of being a wizard”.
However, things took a tragic turn in the early hours of February 9, 2025. The report states: “…the suspect returned from a drinking spree and started insulting the now deceased as always. That is when the now deceased whose house is about 100 meters away from the suspect’s house went out with a view of finding out why he was being insulted. That angered the suspect who took a pounding stick and hit the deceased all over the body. A 16-year-old nephew of the suspect rushed to the nearby village to awaken community members. When they came, they found the now deceased gasping for breath, and shortly after, he became lifeless. The suspect had already fled the scene. Acting on the report, officers visited the scene and found the deceased lying in a pool of blood. The body was facing upwards and upon inspection, officers observed that he was bleeding from both the mouth and nose, and the head was swollen. He also sustained a cut on the forehead and the right arm was broken. A broken pounding stick was recovered as an exhibit in the suspect’s kitchen which is about 8 meters from where the body was found. The dead body was later picked from the scene and deposited in Pemba Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem and burial”.
As the report says, the suspect blamed the uncle for the death of the daughter. He claimed that the man killed the daughter using magical or spiritual means. While some may think this claim is absurd, many people in Zambia take it seriously. This supposition has serious consequences in districts and communities. Some public education is needed in Pemba district to reorient the people. The people need to understand that nobody harms or could harm other humans through witchcraft. That no one causes sickness and death using magic. The people of Pemba and Zambia need to abandon the mistaken belief in the potency and reality of witchcraft and the occult.
The police must arrest this suspect, charge him in court, and make sure he answers for his crimes. He needs to tell the police how he knew that the uncle was a wizard. Part of the investigation should uncover the the diviner that the suspect must have consulted if any. The police should also arrest and charge the diviner and others implicated in this heinous crime. The police should not allow this suspect to get away with this offense. They should let all witch hunters know that the long arm of law and justice will finally catch up with them.
Witch hunts persist because of impunity because witch hunters get away with their crimes.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches.
