The story about people being arrested for planning to bewitch the president reminded me of a time when I was warned about a similar plot against me. I was a witness in a case involving a well-known politician and his wife, who faced serious accusations regarding their daughter (the wife’s stepdaughter).
When I arrived at court, a visibly agitated young man pulled me aside. He revealed that he had learned the accused had traveled to Malawi to obtain charms intended to bewitch both me and another person testifying against him. He confided in me because he was morally opposed to witchcraft and killing, feeling remorseful for being drawn into the scheme.
I listened and simply replied, “OK.” His shocked reaction puzzled me. What did he expect me to say? There wasn’t much else to respond with. My experiences have taught me that such claims about being targeted—whether by a state or witchcraft—are often exaggerated.
Seriously, if the government is determined to come after you, there’s little you can do unless you escape its jurisdiction. Claims of people stalking you, even on trips abroad, just seem ludicrous to me. I tend to feel disgust for individuals who frivolously assert that the government is after them, especially when they make such statements for attention or political gain. Being targeted by the state is a grave matter, akin to a divine threat to your existence. If you claim it, it better be true.
Now, regarding the authorities’ efforts—how can they believe that arresting individuals will thwart a witchcraft plot? Isn’t this just a misguided attempt at preventative measures
