Malawi Police arrest 140 people over ‘bloodsuckers’ craze
A well-coordinated operation comprising police officers from Blantyre, Limbe, Kabula, Chileka, Manje, Mbayani and E – Company from Zomba has netted about 140 people for causing mayhem in Chileka, Kachere and Machinjiri areas in Blantyre under the pretext of hunting for blood suckers, Inspector General of the Malawi Police Services, Lexten Kachama told reporters on Friday.
Statistics from police show that 32 people were arrested in Chileka; 14 people from Chilomoni; and 78 people from Machinjiri and Kachere.
Police say those arrested are due to their involvement in the killing of two people in Blantyre (Chileka and Kachere respectively) as well as violence that erupted in the townships of Chileka, Makheta, Chilomoni, Machinjiri and Kachere.
A number of vehicles and properties were destroyed yesterday by irate residents who said were hunting for blood suckers.
The mob killed a 22-year-old epileptic man Thursday in Chileka, and another man was stoned to death in Kachere township after being suspected of vampirism or blood sucking.
This has brought the number of people killed as suspected blood suckers to ten since the rumors started early last month.
Kachama said some “deceitful people” are speading the “vampirism” mania designed to instill fear in communities and also take advantage of the situation to commit crime.
“We are deeply investigating these matter and we will get to the bottom of it,” said Kachama.
Kachama pointed out that there was no need for people to lose their sleep over the rumours since the Police has deployed security officers to help people and bring peace in areas affected by the situation.
The Inspector General appealed to communities to refrain from mob justice in dealing with such issues and advised people to allow the law take its course.
“If you have anything on blood suckers including suspects report them to the police and we would follow the right investigations and suspects will appear in the court of law so that they were prosecuted lawfully,” Kachama advised.
President Peter Mutharika tried in vain to array the rumors which police and medical workers say has no basis.
Mutharika said the reports were “distressing and agonising” and has set up a ministerial committee to look into the matter.
In a meeting with community leaders in the hot spot district of Mulanje on October 13, Mutharika had warned people to stop using witchcraft to “suck people’s blood.”
“If people are using witchcraft to suck people’s blood, I will deal with them and I ask them to stop doing that with immediate effect,” he said.
Meanwhile, UN agencies have pulled out workers from districts affected by the rumors. US embassy had already withdrawn Peace Corps volunteers from the affected districts.
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Well Mr IG congratulations. Youve aided and abetted in the deaths of these 10 people. Where were you when your presence could have saved the life of this young man killed in Chileka. Where were you when the situation was becoming tense. Is the price of your service 10 lives? And now you make a statement so that what, the public can commend you for your incompetence. You should be ashamed of yourself. While people were getting killed your men and women on the force were busy stipping cars at Maselema for overspeeding. Do you have any priorities. With a police force like yours who needs thieves or criminals. Know this what you are doing now will never make up for the loss of life that happened while you were sitting phwiii doing nothing. Their blood is on your hands
The Police should immediately form a task force with medical personal and jointly visit each Urban and rural primary and Community schools to quell the fear students are having.
Educate the students equals educating the nation.
The fear has to stop before others are subjected to mob violence
Dr Kachama, I salute you for a very recommendable job in your operations conducted last night and please make sure those people who took part in stoning and burning an epileptic person at chantha pay for their sins and it is my prayer to almighty God to keep special fire for them. For some of you who have not seen the video you better not, it was very sadistic and very terrifying to see that video and those people are more than wild animals, sorry to say so but they deserve that description.
May God forgive the sins of those unjustifiably killed and let those involved bear the sins.
The President has set up a ministerial committee to look into the matter of blood-suckers. Clearly, this committee will not be a committee of experts, unless we take the term ‘blood-suckers’ in its metaphorical sense.
The committee should seek advice from a specialist in cognitive dissonance. The typical rural, small farmer is host to at least two conflicting belief, value, and interpretation systems and, like most people in such a situation, ignores the conflict instead of confronting it and resolving it. Instead of appearing to validate the illogical, our leaders should be seeking expert advice on how to make it easier for people to reject the illogical and accept logic, the real world.
An agnotologist might also be able to to give useful advice.
Thanks Police IG. This is what people have been waiting to see, though your move is coming with the cost of 10 life form innocent human beings. Hadn’t been for people to know the Doctor at Chileka yesterday night, statistics would have been different today. Next time let your price be low,not 10 human life. Keep on protecting people, you are entrusted for. Thank you.
Well done. The chatha killing was bad. An innocent person dying at the hands of ruthless people. It reminded me of the death of Steven in the bible. There is a video that somebody took and shows the people that killed this person. I hope there are the ones who have been arrested and will face the law.
Some people dont have confidence in the police. Sad as it is, this is the price we pay for having a shamefully compromised police service and overall justice system. Public servants must serve the people as if they are serving God.
Thumbs up Malawi Police
Lock them up and throw away the keys!
We have the weakest president ever in this country… Hes talking about committee zoona president ….? Osangodzuka mmawa mkulamula apolice amange yense wapha anthu wosakwa… sadly poor people are killing one another… reach people are safer… police is too passive under kachama.. there nothing this man so called kachama is doing..KODI SANGACHOTSEDWE NTCHITO MUSANKHE WINA? If he will need compensation mupatse koma achoke.
Akuba… unlawful killings. Corruption.. cover ups including using police as political body.. this is Nonsense… nde mudzabwere..2019…nyumbayamba yanu tidzawotha moto
I have said times without number that the problem is our president. He should have in no unequivocal terms dispelled the bloodsucking rumours. He believes in such nonsense and so does many of his cronies. Why would he delegate his chief Ngongoliwa to deal with bloodsuckers magically instead of dealing with the people killing innocent Malawians if he didn’t believe in such nonsense? He organizes rallies to hear testimonies of victims of bloodsuckers and instead of telling them there and then such things does not exists he gives the podium to this Lhomwe chief to further fuel the rumours. What wrong did Malawians commit to deserve this president.
In the country where the government is Strong and Police well paid this thing cannot happen. How could you stand up and watch the innocent soul being put to death in that way; Guys ngati ndi nkhondo yamasiku otsiliza Satanadi ali pa Mbalambanda. Malawi is know as the God fearing country but to this extent where is our God. Why do we want to judge on our own for something not sure about.
Apolice tithandizeni anthu akulephera kuyendera madela a m’midzi maka kwathu uko Ku Zomba kwa Govala kaya Ku Lamusi kuja alima mpungaku, tamva ena amakakonza ma solar painel koma awapuntha konko mpapa kukomokauwu simtendere.
A Pulezident muchitepo kanthu iyitu ndi nkhondo yapachiweni weni, umbuli Wake sakufuna kuona galimoto yokongola ndi nkhope zachitauni ndiye anthu sazipita kukaona abale.
Wow
You are too slow Mr Kachama. You should be on the ground a long time ago.
I am giving you advise. Be pro active. Instruct the police to arrest anyone spread the rumours. Secondly, the police should now patrol the streets 24 hours.
Yes. ..arrested even the rumour mongers.They are making Malawi a shameful nation. This has to be put to a full stop. RUBBISH
Police has deployed security officers to help people and bring peace in areas affected by the situation.
How the two people were killed in Blantyre if the police had deployed security officers? Where were the police to secure the deaths when people stoned and burn and imagine in a big city of Malawi- Blantyre where security needs to be most.
Malawi is a nation full of mbuli including the professor himself. Who gave him professorship?