Kilifi woman hacked to death over witchcraft allegations

Scores of people have been killed in the Coast region on suspicion that they were practicing witchcraft.[File, Standard]

A 67-year-old woman was hacked to death by unknown assailants in her compound in Malindi, Kilifi County, who accused her of allegedly practicing witchcraft.

Police said that Wakesho Righa, a resident of Kajajini Village in Kijiwetanga Sub-location, was attacked fatally after being accused of practising witchcraft.

The deceased was hacked several times on the back of the head using a sharp object before attackers fled the scene.

Righa was found lying in a pool of blood in her front yard, next to a charcoal burner that investigators believe she had been preparing to light to cook food.

Her 10-year-old granddaughter, who lived with her, had reportedly gone to a neighbour's home about 50 metres away to play.

When the girl returned, she found her grandmother lying motionless in the compound and raised the alarm.

A police report indicated that the deceased had previously been accused by some people of practising witchcraft.

The woman’s body was removed to Malindi Sub-County Hospital mortuary pending an autopsy as investigations continue to identify the attackers.

According to the Haki Yetu Organization, many elderly persons in Kilifi have reportedly been killed over similar accusations. The organisation condemned the incident and called for stronger measures to protect older people from violence and discrimination.

The organisation said her death should prompt authorities and communities to confront the circumstances that continue to expose elderly residents to attacks.

Data from the Steering Committee of Older Persons in Kilifi, covering the period between December 2024 and November 2025, shows that 93 older people were killed across the county following allegations of witchcraft, with 1,572 incidences of physical and mental abuse within the one-year period.

A further 570 older people were reported to have experienced neglect or abandonment.

The data gathered from police stations, courts, administrative offices, the Kilifi Directorate of Social Development and civil society networks recorded 161 cases of physical abuse in Ganze, alongside 19 killings of older persons during the same period.

In addition, the report revealed that family members, neighbours, community and religious leaders are the top perpetrators.

The statistics have raised concerns over the safety of elderly people in parts of Kilifi, particularly those accused of practising witchcraft.

Haki Yetu said the reported killings should not be treated as isolated incidents, arguing that continued violence against older people points to gaps in the protection of their rights.

The latest case in Malindi comes against a backdrop of longstanding allegations of witchcraft in parts of the Coast region, where elderly people have at times been blamed for misfortunes within their communities.

The human rights lobby group warned that such accusations can leave older people vulnerable to violence, particularly when claims are not subjected to evidence-based investigation.