Siblings allegedly set ‘witch’ mother’s house on fire

Three siblings from Ombundamuti village in the Omusati region were arrested on Wednesday after they allegedly set their mother’s house on fire.

The siblings’ younger brother claims the three, whose ages range from 34 to 39, burnt down five huts at the homestead.

He says they also killed and burnt a cat and about 10 chickens, and burnt their mother’s cellphone.

The brother says the siblings accused their mother of being a witch.

This reportedly happened after the siblings started frequenting churches at Oshakati and Oshuudhi village.

“They wanted to kill the dog, because they accuse it of reporting to my mother what they say about her in her absence,” the younger brother says.

He says his two brothers and sister have been violent towards him, another sister and his mother.

He says one of his brothers almost attacked his mother with a knife, and another has threatened him with a gun on numerous occasions.

Ombalantu chief Oswin Mukulu has described the incident as shocking and disturbing.

“I have been the chief of the Ombalantu for 37 years, and I have never heard about people burning down their houses. It’s a taboo,” he says.

Mukulu says young people should be cautious about what church leaders tell them.

“We want the church at Oshuudhi village to be demolished. We wrote to the Oukwambi Traditional Authority, asking for that church to be demolished because it has caused damage to our community.

“We are still waiting for a response,” he says.

Mukulu says Oshuudhi falls under the jurisdiction of the Oukwambi Traditional Authority.

The three siblings were expected to appear in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

The police say the arrest of a fourth sibling, although not involved in the arson incident, is imminent.

The suspect, who is also a church pastor, allegedly threatened to attack his mother in June.