18 people have been detained and 13 police suspended over the incident

But investigators say there is no evidence she has ever burned the Koran

But witnesses have now said she was actually killed for

claimed she had burned a copy of the Koran, inciting fury

An Afghan woman who was savagely beaten to death in the streets of Kabul was murdered because she spoke out against a controversial local cleric, witnesses have claimed.

Farkhunda, 27, was pushed from a roof, run over by a car and set on fire before her body was thrown in the Kabul River - in full view of several policeman - last Thursday.

It was initially claimed that the crowd had beaten the religious scholar to death because she had burned a copy of the Koran - an accusation even senior police officials admitted they believed to be false after detaining 18 people over the murder and suspending 13 police officers.

Now witnesses have come forward to claim that Farkhunda was in fact murdered because she dared to question the superstitious practices of a local mullah who was known for selling charms to women outside a shrine in central Kabul.

Fury: Afghan members of the Solidarity Party of Afghanistan are seen wearing red paint on their faces during protests earlier this morning to symbolise the bloodied face of Farkhunda (seen on the posters they hold)

Brave: Female members of civil society organisations take part in a protest in central Kabul this morning to condemn the killing of 27-year-old woman Farkhunda

Victim: Farkhunda, 27, was pushed from a roof, run over by a car and set on fire before her body was thrown in the Kabul River - in full view of several policeman - last Thursday

Support: Afghan women's rights activists carry the coffin of 27-year-old Farkhunda, who was beaten to death by an angry all-male mob in broad daylight in central Kabul on Thursday

Countering the claims of Koran-burning, locals have come forward to say that Farkhunda was brutally murdered after accusing a mullah of encouraging desperately poor women to waste money of charms and amulets at the shrine.

An argument is said to have ensued, during which Farkhunda was accused of not being a proper a proper Muslim and then, most seriously, of burning a copy of the Koran.

'Based on their lies, people decided Farkhunda was not a Muslim and beat her to death,' Mohammed Nadir told AP.

The policeman who saw the incident, Sayed Habid Shah, said Farkhunda had denied setting the Koran on fire.

'She said I am a Muslim and Muslims do not burn the Koran,' he said. 'As more people gathered, the police were trying to push them away, but it got out of control,' he added.

Within minutes the crowd began to savagely beat Farkhunda, and ended up pushing her from a roof, running her over with a car and setting her on fire before throwing her body in the Kabul River.

Having their voices heard: Women are seen protesting Farkhunda's murder in central Kabul this morning. It is highly unusual for so many women to take to the streets in protest in the city

Poignent: An Afghan woman wears red paint to symbolise Farkhunda's beaten and bloodied face

Protesters hold banners as they shout slogans during a rally in front of The Supreme Court in Kabul today

Members of civil society organizations chant slogans during a protest to condemn the killing of 27-year-old Farkhunda. They wear red paint on their faces to symbolise the murder victim's bloodied face

An official investigator has admitted there was absolutely no evidence Farkhunda burned the Koran.

'Last night I went through all documents and evidence once again, but I couldn't find any evidence to say Farkhunda burnt the Holy Koran,' General Mohammad Zahir said at her funeral on Sunday.

'Farkhunda was totally innocent.'

Police say they have detained 18 people over the incident, and expect to be arresting more peoppe over the coming days.

13 policemen have also been suspended for failing to stop the murder taking place.

On Sunday, grieving women carried the religious scholar's coffin through the streets of the Afghan capital in a dramatic departure from local custom. Pallbearers are traditionally men.

It comes as protesters wearing masks of Farkhunda's bloodied face have marched on Kabul to demand justice for the young teacher.

Members of Farkhunda's family have denied reports that she was mentally ill, claiming this was a made-up defence to protect her reputation.

Her father said the 27-year-old worked as an Islamic studies teacher studies and could recite the Koran by heart. He insisted she was not involved in burning the Muslim holy book.

Protesters hold banners as they shout slogans during a rally over Farkhunda's murder in Kabul this morning

Taking to the streets: In unprecedented scenes grieving women in the Afghan capital of Kabul carried the coffin of a woman savagely beaten to death after being falsely accused of burning the Koran

Anger and tears: A leading investigator said that there is no evidence to support the claims that the 27-year-old Islamic studies teacher had burned the Koran

Farkhunda was a deeply religious girl. She used to recite the holy Koran and pray five times a day,' her brother Najeebullah Malikzada said over the weekend.

Protesters who gathered near the Shah Doshamshera mosque today demanded the government prosecute all those responsible for the death of Farkhunda, who like many Afghans used only one name.

Yesterday activists planted a pine tree on the riverbank where Farkhunda's body was set alight.

The demonstrators, many of them members of the Solidarity Party of Afghanistan, blocked the road outside the mosque and marched along the riverside route, starting from where the attack began.

Many women in the crowd wore masks of Farkhunda's battered and bloodied face, which has appeared widely on social media. They carried a banner accusing the government of broking promises to end corruption and bring rule of law to Afghanistan.

Palwasha, who described herself as a social activist, said: 'We demand that the government ensure that all those involved are arrested and that they face an open trial so that justice is implemented and they become an example for others.'

Savage: The mob could be seen stamping on the woman while some stamped on her repeatedly and battered her body with pieces of wood and bricks

Brutal: Mobile phone footage of the attack on Thursday began circulatin on social media this weekend

Killers: One of the attackers can be seen repeatedly striking the woman with a piece of wood while another was filmed hurling a brick at her as she lay on the ground

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who took office in September voicing support for women's rights, is currently in Washington on his first state visit to the United States. Before his departure, he called the killing of Farkhunda a 'heinous attack,' and ordered an investigation.

Ghani's wife, Rula, who has spoken up on women's rights, has yet to make a public statement — disappointing some rights activists including film director Sahraa Karimi.

'This is typical of the women in positions of influence in Afghanistan —talking talking no action. How can they be our representatives,' Karimi said

More demonstrations are planned throughout the week to maintain pressure on the authorities to ensure that women's constitutional rights to equality and protection from violence are respected at every level of society, activists said.