Police arrest Nun attacker, says he is a mentally ill person

Police say they have arrested a 38-year-old man for allegedly attacking a Catholic nun in Zomba on Thursday.

National police spokesperson Peter Kalaya has confirmed the arrest of Mussa Selemani in Blantyre on Saturday afternoon.

Kalaya said police investigations have established that Selemani is mentally disturbed and a patient at Zomba Mental Hospital.

On the day he allegedly attacked the nun, the suspect also allegedly “caused a scene” at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre during Eid celebrations.

Meanwhile, Selemani has been taken back to the hospital for further examination.

“Officials at Zomba Mental Hospital [confirmed] that he is their patient and that he was once admitted to the facility in 2004 and 2008 and he has been taking psychiatric drugs since then,” Kalaya said.

On Friday, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi released a statement in which it revealed that the nun was abducted and assaulted by unknown occupants of a car that had stopped for her.

Police identified her as Sister Ruth Kamwendo and head teacher of St Joseph Girls Primary School in Zomba.