Malawi Police arrest teacher caught trying to selling albino girl for witchcraft

A Malawian teacher suspected of attempting to sell an albino schoolgirl for US$10,000 arrested Tuesday, police said, as the country battles to stop albino killings fuelled by superstition.

Albino rituals rising
Albinos facing attacks

Primary school teacher Phillip Ngulube was with the girl when he was arrested in the northern city of Mzuzu and has been charged with abduction with intent to murder, police spokesman Maurice Chapola told AFP.

Ngulube was “caught by police on his way to selling the girl to an alleged Tanzanian businessman for six million Kwacha ($10,000),” said Chapola, adding it was likely she would be killed for her body parts.

The suspect told police the high school student was his girlfriend.

Albinos have white skin and yellow hair, a result of an hereditary genetic disorder that causes the absence of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes.

They are killed regularly in some African countries for their body parts – from genitals to bones – which are used in witchcraft rituals.

The plight of people with albinism has worsened in recent years, according to UN and police figures, with concerns that the October election in Tanzania this year will prompt more attacks as politicians seek luck at the ballot box.

A complete albino skeleton is said to be worth as much as $75,000, according to the Red Cross.

Since a surge of attacks against albinos in December, the UN estimates that nine have been killed in Malawi.

In June, Malawi launched a probe to establish the root causes of albino killings and identify who buys the body parts in the country and in neighbouring Tanzania and Mozambique.

The results of the probe have yet to be published.

Several Malawians are awaiting trial in connection with albino-related crimes, including killings, abductions and possession of albino bones

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The blood of duwe
9 years ago

The teacher must rot in jail fucking bullshit

chimangenI
chimangenI
9 years ago

@Mathanyulambuzi,Let me agree with u that u northeners ur blessed that’s why u go far with education and u r owning marshons.But let me tel u to ask the same one who blessed u to give northerners common sense and wisdom so that u may know that its better to develop north as ur home land not kutithela malo ku south and central.U educated people say that home is best but why is Blantyre bieng best for u not Nzimba or Rumphi? Do it fast since federism ur calling will cause chaos and the one to feel the most heat… Read more »

Dambudzo
Dambudzo
9 years ago

It started with the illiterate swahilis selling Albino parts and now is all over Malawi.With the current rate of economy in Malawi,the lives of our albino cousins is at peril.The govt should enough to curb this behaviour .

Hendrix
Hendrix
9 years ago

Alandire chilango chokwanira he must b sentenced to first degree murder this is rubbish how hungry Malawian are???? this is bullshit and wrong shame on him

Chibp
9 years ago

Teachers the Government is paying you a lot of money.So why indulge your self in abad business? Please wakeup.

jimbo
jimbo
9 years ago

As I have said many times, the standard of education in Malawi is dreadful. When even teachers believe in this sort of nonsense, what hope is there for the ordinary villager? No wonder Africa is referred to as the ‘Third World’ when such ignorance prevails. Fancy suits and ties, cell phones, motor cars and TVs don’t signify education and intelligence. Perhaps the elite in Malawi, i.e. politicians, are not prepared to ban traditional healers and African medicine because they believe in them themselves.

mathanyulambuzi
mathanyulambuzi
9 years ago

Chancy Mpando @ 35 that’s why we need federalism. That’s y maina anu ndi azinthu zokhazokha, mpando nkukhala dzina? High illiteracy amongst u, u blame northerners, fucking ur own bloody mothers so u c pamene munatulukira, u blame anzanu. Is it northerners amati muzipezeka ku jando nkumalephera xul? Northerners be proud indeed cz midyomba ndi akhokhola sagona nanu tulo kkkkkkkkk!!!! All because God blessed northerners. For ur info, Balaka z topping de list wen it comes to slaughtering albinos n zigololo. Z Blk in north? Ask ur stupid toothless man u kol president.

Kavuluvulu
Kavuluvulu
9 years ago

It is not Omo Sapiens,but Homo Sapiens,

mulamu pelekani@gmail.com

Malawians are vey easy people to copy other people,s bad behavior. The main reason is ignorance of science. If science were taught from primary schools many school children will tell their parents what a human being is. Especilly about gene. Many people in Africa believe in witchcraft. These Albinos are human with fresh and red blood. Unfortunately some people give birth to Albinos. U right the reason why some civilised Malawians dont want to return home is ignorance of our people. When they live in Europe they dont hear all these stories. One is ashamed. First time I saw this… Read more »

Thitherward 'wendo
Thitherward 'wendo
9 years ago

#1, African Healers are part of an alternative power structure. If we had a truly ‘grass-roots’ local government system that worked, perhaps these con-men would apply their talents more constructively.

I am curious to know how you distinguish an albino skeleton from any other skeleton! Is it whiter than white – ‘Omo Sapiens Sapiens?

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