A 20-YEAR-OLD man of Chiyabe village, in Chama District has lost his right palm after a teargas canister exploded in his hands as he was playing with it.
Eastern Province police commanding officer Robertson Mweemba said the incident happened on Saturday around 14:00 hours and identified the victim as Gerald Kumwenda.
Mr Mweemba said on the material day, around 08:00 hours, police received information that a witch doctor in Mwalala, Hellings Ng’oma, popularly known as doctor Kanjoka, was hired to heal some individuals.
Acting on the report, officers from Chama Police Station rushed to Mwalala, where they found the witch doctor and his counterparts performing rituals at a graveyard.
“Officers ordered them to stop, but they did not comply, hence officers apprehended the witch doctor and one of his colleagues,” Mr Mweemba said.
A mob attempted to prevent the arrest, prompting officers to fire warning shots and discharged teargas canisters.
Mr Mweemba said in the process, a canister fell from the police vehicle without the knowledge of the officers, and a juvenile picked it up and later handed it to Mr Kumwenda.
“The victim tampered with the safety pin as he was playing with it and [it] exploded in his right palm, disfiguring it completely.”
Zambia Daily Mail
