A fisherman allegedly killed his 3-year-old stepson after his wife refused to let him be used in a ritual that would enable the man to catch more fish.
RUSTENBURG – A 3-year-old boy was killed, allegedly by his stepfather, in central Malawi after his mother refused to offer him to be used in a ritual, local media reported on Wednesday.
News website Malawi24, citing police, reported that the boy was killed on Monday at Mtambalala village, near Kasungu in central Malawi.
His stepfather, 29, who is a fisherman, had allegedly asked his wife to offer him the boy so that he might use him in a ritual that would enable him to catch more fish.
The boy’s mother refused and sent her son to his grandparents.
A few days later the man apologised to his wife and asked her to bring the child back to the house. The wife forgave him and the boy returned home.
On Sunday, the man allegedly raised the matter of the ritual again and she confronted him. The man allegedly assaulted her and intentionally stepped on the boy, who was asleep, until he lost consciousness.
The mother rushed him to hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. A post-mortem revealed that the death was due to head injuries.
The man was arrested and charged with murder.
Privately owned radio station Zodiak Broadcasting reported that the boy’s mother told the police she married her husband in August this year. Soon thereafter he asked her to offer him her son to be used in a ritual.
ANA
