An albino woman attacked, chopped off a hand in Chitipa –  Malawi Police launch hunt for attackers

A 51 years old woman with albinism was   gruesomely attacked by unknown people, who chopped off her right hand, in the process, in Chitipa District, early hours of  Saturday.

The thugs who targeted  Lucia Kainga’s head and her  two hands, only managed to speed off with one hand.

An eye witness, Yohane Mfungwe,  81,and a husband to the victim,   said  the attackers armed with machetes and sticks invaded his house at 2 am.

The couple met their  fate when they opened the door to rescue a man who was crying for help at the couple’s house.

“Some one was crying for help at the door of our house. It was when I opened the door to find out what was going on when I landed in the hands of the four men who attacked both of us,”  Mfungwe, whose head was caked with soil, narrated the ordeal.

The victim a lone rushed to Ipenza Police unit to report the incident where, in company of the husband and a big crowd that trailed her, she was referred to  Kameme Health Centre where again she was referred to Chitipa District Hospital.

After losing one hand, the victim was in deep pains as the attackers also nearly  cut off her left hand and the head.

You need not to be Lucia’s relative to shade tears just after taking a glance at the victim in a hospital bed.

Meanwhile, going by Lucia’s situation, Chitipa District Hospital management has further referred her to Mzuzu Central Hospital for treatment.

Mfungwe who sustained  serious  wounds in the head said he recognized the voice of one of the attackers which may serve as  excellent clue for the police.

The victim and the husband come from Village Head man Mweneipenza 5, in the area of Senior Chief Kameme, which borders with Tanzania.

Chitipa Police have confirmed the incident and have mounted a manhunt to apprehend people behind the attack.

“It is true, unknown people have attacked an albino woman in Kameme and  have cut off a hand and living her seriously wounded,” said Chitipa Police Publicist, Sergeant Gradwel Simwaka.

This is the first time for a person with albinism to be attacked in Chitipa District, apart from a rare exhumation of the remains of albino old lady at Upiwu area in the area of Chief Mwaulambia way back.

The incident in Chitipa comes at a time when  government and people of good will towards the welfare of people with albinism are trying to work out a strategy of laying down a stern  penalty on those found to abduct, kill and exhume the remains of people with albinism, to completely stamp out the vice.

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