A 46-year-old woman of Chingola District has allegedly been killed by a mob in Kisasa area of Kalumbila District following accusations of suspected witchcraft involving the alleged disappearance of private parts linked to a 25-year-old man.
The incident occurred yesterday, March 20, 2026, between 11:00 hours and 13:00 hours.
Zambia Police Service Deputy Public Relations Officer, Chipo Kaitisha, confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Kalumbila today and identified the deceased as Eneless Hellen Kamutumbe, who had travelled to the area for business.
Ms Kaitisha said the matter was reported around 14:00 hours by a cousin to the deceased.
She explained that preliminary investigations indicate that the incident was triggered when the 25-year-old man allegedly accused the woman of causing the disappearance of his private parts after physical contact at a local market.
The accusation sparked panic among members of the public, leading to the formation of a violent mob which attacked the woman using sticks, stones, planks, and other objects, inflicting multiple injuries.
Ms Kaitisha said police officers who rushed to the scene were met with resistance from the hostile crowd, which threw stones and obstructed efforts to rescue the victim.
She added that the victim was briefly taken to a nearby house where a concerned member of the public attempted to assist her, but the mob continued the assault, resulting in her death.
Police later retrieved the body after reinforcements, where it had been abandoned along the Mwinilunga–Solwezi Road.
The victim was rushed to Wumi Mini Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The body has since been deposited in the mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination.
Ms Kaitisha disclosed that eight suspects, including the man who made the initial accusation, have since been apprehended and are assisting police with investigations.
Meanwhile, three police officers sustained injuries after being attacked by members of the public, while a police motor vehicle had its front windscreen damaged during the incident.
The Zambia Police Service has strongly condemned the act of mob injustice and urged members of the public to report suspected criminal activities to the police instead of taking the law into their own hands. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
