Malawi Law Society  warns of imminent anarchy: Challenges Mutharika to rise to duty on bloodsuckers

The Malawi Law Society has challenged President Peter Mutharika to rise up to duty and protect innocent Malawians that are being killed for being suspected of involvement in the blood sucking ritualistic practices.

In a statement released Friday afternoon and madeavailable to Nyasa Times, the society has even warned that if nothing is done, the country risks drifting into anarchy.

Recently, there has been increasing incidences of vigilante ‘justice’ targeting people suspected, invariably without any basis whatsoever, of involvement in the so called blood sucking ritualistic practices.

To date, at least 10 people have been murdered in these incidences with the latest killing occurring Thursday in Chileka, Blantyre.

The Society added that these acts are brutal and barbaric acts of criminality and thuggery that can never lend themselves to any kind of justification.

“The Society notes that these incidences and the disturbing pace at which they are spreading across the country, requires the Executive organ of government and all of its law enforcement agencies, including the Malawi Police Service, to rise up to duty and ensure that those involved are dealt with according to law,” said the statement released and signed by MLS president Khumbo Soko.

Soko added that Malawi risks sliding into anarchy if there is no demonstrable leadership in decisively dealing with this public emergency.

“We would wish to remind members of the public that it is an offence under the Penal Code to spread false news likely to cause fear and alarm to the public.

“Pretending to be a practitioner of witchcraft or accusing another of engaging in the practice of witchcraft are also offences under the Witchcraft Act.

“The Society will continue to be seized of this matter and will take such steps as are necessary in keeping with its legal mandate,” said Soko.

During his tour of affected districts last week, President Mutharika said he would leave the matter to Paramount Chief  Ngolongoliwa  of Thyolo as it is related to witchcraft.

In quoted reported by local newspaper,  South Africa-based Malawian professor of law Danwood Chirwa argued that the issue is escalating because government has not decisively acted on the matter.

“The issue required prompt and decisive response from the government. It has singularly failed [to do so],” he said.

The blood sucking saga has stirred tension and panic in Mulanje, Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Nsanje and some parts of Blantyre, which has led some development partners to withdraw their operations from affected districts.