Dedza, March 8: A traditional medical practitioner in Dedza who declared his capabilities to bewitch Association for Secular Humanism (ASH) Executive Director, George Thindwa, had his soft belly exposed when he shunned him on Wednesday.

Thindwa challenges that witchcraft does not exist. He pledged a reward of K1 million to anyone who will prove its existence by bewitching him.

Last week, herbalist Masiyambuyo Njolomole who is also president for Dedza Herbalists Association, expressed his interest to bewitch Thindwa.

He told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that he had made attempts to discuss his bid with Thindwa through phone but he was chickening out.

However, in a twist of events, the traditional healer lost his nerve when Thindwa came to Dedza to meet him.

Thindwa stormed Mana offices in Dedza looking for the reporter who wrote Njolomole’s story and Njolomole himself.

However, Njolomole refused to avail himself when contacted through phone saying he did not want any confrontation with Thindwa.

“I cannot come because he might have plotted something against me. I do not want confrontation” Njolomole said.

He insisted that he had not withdrawn his bid saying he just needed a guarantee of safety before meeting Thindwa.

He could not elaborate what sort of safety he was referring to.

Thindwa said Njolomole’s refusal to meet him further justifies his position that witchcraft does not exist.

“Since I started pledging monetary rewards in 2009 nobody has bewitched me, people only talk. I want action, not talking” he said.

Thindwa is an activist fighting for the rights of people persecuted for allegedly practicing witchcraft which is not recognized by Malawian laws but there is a widespread belief of its existence among many communities in the country.