PH
Lilongwe – Police in Malawi’s Machinga District have verified the arrest of a woman that is suspected to be a purchaser of bones belonging to deceased albino nationals.
The suspect, Mary Gumbo, was alleged to have offered to buy the remains of deceased albinos, while also hunting for bones of people who had suffered from leprosy.
Police said that Gumbo enlisted the services of two men, identified as Mussa Kachepa and Mohammed James, to locate the bones for her.
Both Kachepa and James were nabbed with the exhumed bones of a leprosy sufferer in their possession.
The two were subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to the allegations put before them.
Gumbo was charged with a count of conspiracy to commit felony. She remained under police custody.
Fueled by a belief that albino body parts brought wealth, attacks on albinos have increased in recent times, leading to the deaths of at least 17 albino nationals in the last two years.
Some of the albino nationals claimed that they were being referred to as “moving cash”.
Malawian President Peter Mutharika recently declared war against albino “terrorists”, claiming that his administration would win the fight.
