By Samuel Kalimira:
The victim, Yasini Phiri, aged 54 years, was from Mundiyeghe Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Fukamapiri, in Nkhata Bay District.
According to Northern Region Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya, the suspects broke into the house of the victim and stabbed him to death before dragging him outside to chop off both of his hands.
Kalaya said Phiri was, at the time of his death, in the house with his nine-year-old child.
“I can confirm that we have launched a manhunt for criminals who have brutally killed a person with albinism at Kande [in Nkhata Bay]. We have observed that the thugs have chopped both hands [of the victim] and dumped him somewhere [about] 20 metres from his house.
“This is sad and we promise that we are going to ensure that the culprits are found and arrested to face the law,” Kalaya said.
Fukamapiri said the nine-year-old son, who was in the house at the time of the attack, has explained that two people broke into the house while others waited outside.
“The son has told us that he shouted for help but no one came [to their rescue],” Fukamapiri said
The chief has since commissioned his subjects as well as those from T/A Malengamzoma to a manhunt to apprehend the suspects.
Meanwhile, Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) President, Overstone Kondowe, has said it is regrettable that people with albinism continue to be victimised in the country.
“This is really tragic. Each one of us [with albinism] is living in fear and our hearts are very broken following this incident.
“We had all our attention to rights of people with albinism and not security. We thought we are over with these attacks but it is sad that we have started the new year with tears. We are really shocked and we fear not only [for those] in Nkhata Bay but the entire country,” Kondowe said.
According to the police, 26 persons with albinism have been killed since 2014.
Currently, the courts have 159 cases of abduction and killing of people with albinism.
According to Apam, 10 people are still missing in the country.
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