By BRIAN HATYOKA –
KAZUNGULA District Commissioner Pascalina Musokotwane has urged residents to stop accusing ‘wealthy’ teachers of engaging in witchcraft and Satanism.
Ms Musokotwane said it was unfortunate that some members of the community in Kazungula were accusing teachers of engaging in witchcraft and Satanism because they owned a lot of money and cars.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Ms Musokotwane said the Patriotic Front (PF) Government had increased teachers’ salaries hence it was normal for teachers to get loans and buy cars from their salaries.
“I think the community is to blame over increasing accusations thatsome teachers are practicing witchcraft and Satanism in Kazungula
District. Nowadays teachers have more money and they are able to access loans. But the community always think that teachers are Satanists when they buy expensive cars,” she said.
Ms Musokotwane said some teachers even had huge farming fields in rural areas because of their increased salaries.
“Teachers can even manage to sell their maize but villagers usually conclude that teachers are Satanists.
Anyway, I wouldn’t say much because I don’t believe in witchcraft or Satanism because I don’t have any evidence,” Ms Musokotwane said.
On Tuesday this week, Headman Sikombwa, Inambao Mutema of Chief Sekute in Kazungula District claimed that some teachers were practising Satanism at a school known as GRZ.
He said one of the teachers at GRZ School recently bought bread for pupils who started falling and manifesting Satanism acts.
“The named teacher was even locked up at Kazungula Police. A child was even manifesting witchcraft yesterday. This child was shouting that ‘I am a queen and I go under water’. Pupils will fear to go to school next week when schools open,” he said.
But Livingstone Police chief, Joseph Chitambo said it was not true that the police arrested a teacher for practicing witchcraft and Satanism.
Mr Chitambo said that the named teacher, whom he declined to name, was detained for offenses of assault and he was already appearing in court.