The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Gaza province has arrested three brothers accused of murdering their father through witchcraft.

The young siblings allegedly poisoned their 60-year-old patriarch in the Chicalane area of the Chongoene district. Two of them, one aged 16 and the other 18, allegedly put insecticide in their father's meal on the orders of their older sister, aged 30.

The suspects, who claim responsibility for the crime, were arrested thanks to a tip-off from local residents after noticing a lifeless body in the area.

"I'm here because of my sister who told us to poison papa who, according to her, is a sorcerer and killed Mama. So Bro Pinto came to cook rice and vegetables. The poison came with my friend," said one of the three brothers, quoted by Radio Mozambique.

Zaqueu Mucambe, SERNIC's spokesperson in Gaza, discourages the practice of this type of crime, which this year alone has led to the death of three people in the province through aggravated homicide.

"In an attempt to ascertain the real causes of death, it was discovered that it was a case of poisoning. The investigations found that the accused had put a toxic substance in the food of the accused's father", he said.

Mucambe revealed that the older sister, who allegedly ordered the poisoning, promised an unspecified monetary reward for the murder.