According to the spokesperson for the National Police in Bié, António Hossi, the victim was forced to consume the aforementioned liquid, produced by a quimbandeiro (fortune teller), to prove that he was not to blame for a death that occurred in that community.
"We became aware through information coming from the municipality of Camacupa, the situation related to the ingestion of the supposed poison called 'mbulungo', due to beliefs in superstition, has been a constant," António Hossi told Lusa.
The police spokesperson in Bié highlighted that there are several deaths that have occurred in the province related to this practice, essentially in the municipalities of Camacupa, Nharea and Cuemba, but did not provide a concrete number.
"This case occurred in Camacupa, they took the victim to another location, in the municipality of Cuemba, where the alleged quimbandeiro who carried out this type of practices was located. The victim ended up dying", he stressed.
In addition to detaining the people involved in these cases, who commit the crime of homicide, the police have carried out awareness-raising activities and appealed to communities not to engage in these practices, which are "unfortunately common and have been ongoing for some time".
António Hossi highlighted that there has been some reduction in cases, due to appeals from the authorities, however, the practices continue.
"The police will continue to monitor, discourage, with the traditional authorities, and those who insist on engaging in these practices will certainly be referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office depending on the seriousness of the case", he highlighted.
The cases, which generally occur in restricted environments, reach the police following a complaint from the victim's family, after the person's death.
"After death they react, but before that they silence what is happening within them related to accusations of witchcraft", said the person in charge, adding that the person is forced to consume the drink.
According to António Hossi, in communities, whenever someone dies there is someone to blame, a practice that continues, "sometimes even in the most organized societies".
"People become reactive in these types of situations, which always end up finding someone to blame, they are always elderly people, family members, the traditional authorities themselves in the villages", he observed, exemplifying that a soba, when accused of someone's death, committed suicide.
