Malawi police say ‘bloodsuckers’ rumours baseless as vigilantes continue to kill people

Acting Commissioner of Police for Central Region Headquarters, Evalista Chisale has quashed rumours of bloodsuckers which are making rounds in some of the districts in the country as vigilante groups continue to  people claiming to be protecting communities from the cult.

Chisale: There are no bloodsuckers

Chisale said the rumours are myths since there was no reported case of a person whose blood was sucked to date.

Speaking in Dedza on Thursday when Police engaged communities on the issue of blood suckers, Chisale  said that it was sad to note that innocent lives are being lost due to the bloodsucking rumours in the central region.

“Malawi Police Service was concerned with whatwas happening in the central region whereby people are being killed on allegations that they are blood suckers,”said Chisale

She advised the community not to take the law into their own hands, saying it was an offence to punish anyone suspected to have committed a crime.

“It was the communities’ responsibility to report to the Police about anyone they suspect to have committed any crime,” Chisale said.

She added: “The Police is one of the organizations mandated by law to commit all suspected offenders to court where the punishment can be given if the suspect is found guilty.”

Chisale said  at least eight people had been killed so far and that Police are investigating the attacks,  117 people have been arrested.

President Peter Mutharika has  since condemned the killings.

In an address to the nation earlier,  Mutharika said: “These rumours are baseless and only deliberately created,”. He described the attacks as a “political strategy” to create “fear and panic” before an election re-run this year.He recalled similar rumours ahead of last year’s presidential elections, and said the scaremongering was now taking place “when we have a collective war against coronavirus”.

It is not the first time rumours of “bloodsuckers” have fuelled violence in Malawi. A similar spate of mob attacks took place in 2017, leaving nine people dead and prompting 250 arrests.

The United Nations has called on the government to prosecute perpetrators and dispel the rumours.

“Dangerous myths and misinformation are feeding these vigilante attacks,” the UN’s resident coordinator in the country, Maria Torres, said in a statement.

“[The killings] constitute serious breaches of Malawian criminal law and human rights standards.”

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
2 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
China
China
3 years ago

This woman is supposed to answer charges of how the albino suspect died but because ndi mkazi wa bodyguard wa Apm she’s still wondering about. Dpp your day is coming

Bright Mholande
Bright Mholande
3 years ago

APM said its Chakwera who is behind this? Why are you not arresting him?

Read previous post:
High Court petitioned to declare all MPs deemed as not duly elected

Frank Kuyokwa and 183 others have taken Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to the High Court demanding all Members of Parliament...

Close