K1.1billion offered for albino bones, killer tells Malawi Police chief: Blames Satan
An albino bone market agents in Lilongwe offered K1.1 billion (about $1.5million) to Gerald Phiri, convicted of the murder of his 21-year-old albino niece Eneless Nkhata at Madisi in Dowa mid this month, Malawi Police chief has been told at a special hearing.
Inspector General (IG) of Police Lexten Kachama and Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jappie Mhango summoned the Phiri, 38 who has since sentenced to a 17-year jail term to a special hearing on Wednesday at Mponela Police Station
Phiri disclosed that the the ‘potential buyer’ of the bones, detained at the Mponela police station, has offered astronomical figure to buy the albino bones and they were swayed with the money.
According to Phiri, his accomplice Medson Madzialenga whom he allegedly agreed to sell bones of a person with albinism , persuaded him to murder his niece who completed her school certificate last year at Mzimba Secondary School after linking him with albino bone market agent Damison Manyoni in Area 47, Lilongwe.
He said after meeting Manyoni in his house, he promised K1.1 billion cash for the albino bones.
Phiri, confessed that he murdered his niece at a forest in Madisi .
During mitigation at Mponela First Grade Magistrate’s Court, the convicts who pleaded guilty, blamed Satan for influencing their acts and pleaded for leniency on the basis that they are first offenders and that they look after their aged parents.
However, first grade magistrate Beatrice Ng’oma ignored their plea and agreed with the State prosecutor Isaac Kadawayula that the two deserved a stiffer sentence and imposed 17 years imprisonment.
There are other eight who pleaded not guilty.They include Jezmoni Baluwa, Weluzani Foster, Steven Ching’ombe, Isaac Msambalume, Kaluzi Kamangeni, Damiano Phiri, Damisoni Manyoni (ex-Army officer) and Mc Donald Kanyerere.
A series of horrific murders of albinos has been rampant of late as Association of People with Albinism in Malawi has reported over 50 cases of attacks which have resulted into deaths, abductions for the purposes of body parts removal, and exhumation of their bodies, mostly in the district of Machinga, Mchinji, Kasungu, Phalombe, Karonga and Mzimba and lately Dowa.
Superstitions feed myths that albinos are ghosts, sorcerers or demons who have been cursed and, when hunted and killed for body parts, bring good luck to others.
A complete set of body parts from an albino, including “all four limbs, genitals, ears, tongue and nose,” can bring in up to $75,000 on the black market, according to a report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Albinism is a rare genetic condition in which people are born without pigmentation in their hair, skin and eyes. Many who have it are visually impaired and more vulnerable to sunlight, putting them at greater risk for developing skin cancer.
Witch doctors use their body parts in potions to bring good fortune to those who are willing to pay for it.
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To be honest death sentence must come back for the dangerous people like those #what is 17yrs in prison is nothing
Abale inu zaka 17 zoka basi. Mmalo moti mubwere nao pa Kamudzu Stadium azaomberedwe anthu akuona.
Stupid African leaders spineless and stupid. Can Amnest stop any American state from executing an offender who has being found guilty and sentenced to death by a competent court? Why cant Malawian leaders enforce the law? It is exactly because of this disregard for the law that Malawians are resorting to mob justice. Let us protect Alibinos they are human beings with souls and are loved by their families. If the state cannot deliver security citizens MUST AS A MATTER OF URGENCY MOBILISE THEMSELVES TO SECURE THEIR PROPERTIES AND LIVES.
AMalawi kodi ngati mafupa a Albino angakulemeretse, nanga mafupa a Mzungu ungalemere bwanji.
The only better punishment for these people is death by hanging or stoning. Come to think of it? Death sentence is bad but these people killed. If we can hang these offenders the surely no one will do it again. People will be very scared.
ITS NOT THE ALBINOS THAT SHOULD BE WIPED OUT
ITS ALL THE CROOKS IN GOVERNMENT!..
Ndalama yakulisa iyi, ulenjetu basi aliyense. Kodi amapeleka ma US dollars? Ulimi wa fodya ukuchepelatu.
Malawi is now becoming a lawless state. I blame to courts and media, they are very irrespossible hence mob justice looms, our laws impose death sentence for murder likewise the bible. Can somebody up there make an appeal to this nosense. This nosense must stop forthwith
17 years is for conspiracy to commit a felony and abducting in order to murder… these guys will also answer murder charges as murder cases are committed to the high court. Mr reporter please investigate before writing.
Our “God fearing” nation is slowly, but surely becoming a Satan loving one. These murders do NOT have a poverty component to them; rather they have their roots in cultural (nonsensical) beliefs. The Police are doing their part. The government (APM, Minister Mhango here, Akweni et al.) have spoken out vehemently against this atrocity, in the past too. But we have NOT heard a thing from the Opposition, MCP. … Ms Kabwila-Kapasula, where are you? Ditto for the minor parties, and members of Parliament. And NGOs? Where are they all? This is one human rights issue Malawians can be galvanized… Read more »