Malawi court fines albino bone hunters K20, 000 as MPs call for ‘lenghty sentence’

Kasungu magistrates’ court on Thursday fined two people K20, 000 each or on default 18 months in jail for being found digging a grave where an albino lady was buried some several years ago.

MP Jolobala: We need stiffer punishment
MP Jolobala: We need stiffer punishment

As the magistrate was metting out the sentence, members of parliament, led by Machinga east legislator Esther Jolobola were seeking to change the law to have death sentences all those hunting and killing albinos including those seeking the albino bones through digging of the graves of the dead albino.

But in Kasungu, Magistrate Damiano Banda heard that Yamikani Phiri 23 and Peter Kamanga were caught digging the grave of Mirriam Mbedza in an effort to extract her bones.

The convicts were then charged with a lesser charge of trespassing a graveyard.

Both Phiri and Kamanga, who were arrested on October 25, 2015 for the offence, hail from Chief Kaomba’s area in Kasungu.

Meanwhile, at parliament building in Lilongwe, calls for stiffer punishment for people like Phiri and Kamanga grew louder and louder.

The members of parliament, from all political parties in the 193 strong House noted that the two to three year sentences to those seeking to extract bones of people with albinism was a mockery of justice.

They all agreed to change the legislation to ensure that those hunting or killing people with albinism should be behind bars all their lives to give peace to the people with albinism.

Just weeks ago, people with albinism asked the government to intervene so that special courts who can hear cases concerning people with albinism should be set up so that the court can give meaningful sentences to perpetrators of the crime.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
19 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Thitherward 'wendo
Thitherward 'wendo
8 years ago

How do they tell the difference between the bones of someone who experienced albinism when they were alive, and those of someone who did not? Are they digging up ‘fresh’ corpses with flesh and skin still on the bones? If they like digging, why don’t they try agriculture?

keliland
8 years ago

The court is not wrong and is really in its right direction regarding the facts that the offence committed is a misdemeanor which can not attract a stiffer sentence. Mind u there are judges who confirm sentences from lower court.

Mhango
Mhango
8 years ago

The courts are right if life sentence is implemented it means giving these culprits free of charge meals for the whole of their lives.Already prisons are congested.This punishment is reasonable enough.

Mbowe Mulambia
8 years ago

Stupid court I am sure the judge got something from this cruel people

darth maul
darth maul
8 years ago

stupid courts and police, did you even have the time or intelligence to follow the trail to where were they going to sell the bones? nyo!

noah saka
8 years ago

osamalowerera ntchito yaoweruza_ziri boo

AK47
8 years ago

ALUBINO SAKUSANGALALA NDI ZIGAMULO ZOKONDERA NGATI IZI.GANIZANI MULIINU

mbava zopanda pake
mbava zopanda pake
8 years ago

What wrong did the guys do? Anatola chotayidwa kalekale- sanaphe munthu. Nafenso we value dead people too much. Nanga bwanji osaletsa mputsi kuti zisadye zikanakhala zofunika- or kumasunga mnyumba

Gundumulani
8 years ago

Tingo chita appeal basis a judge mwatani kodi?

DOBO
DOBO
8 years ago

The problem is neither a judge nor the judgement itself but the laws attached to the case. Our laws are weak and a judge can not make judgement outside the law frame. We have to fight for the change of law rather than making empty comments which exposes ignorance and stupidity .

Read previous post:
Malawi Police say Njauju murder investigations are still going on

Malawi Police say investigations into the murder of a senior official at the graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Issa...

Close