Albinos, CSOs petition police

People with albinism joined by civil society organisations (CSOs) yesterday marched to Police headquarters in Lilongwe to present a petition to the Inspector General (IG) on the plight of persons with albinism.

Lately, there have been reports of abductions, killings and exhumations of graves of persons with albinism, a scenario which has shocked many quarters locally and internationally.

The petition asks Malawi Police Service (MPS) to engage an extra gear in handling cases involving the brutal acts by, among other things, stripping perpetrators of the right to bail once arrested.

“We have noted with sadness the delayed investigations in cases concerning the killings of albinos, lenient sentences and dubious police bails granted to perpetrators,” reads the petition.

The document further says it is sad that many children with albinism are withdrawing from school to safeguard their lives.

One of the people with albinism, Rose Msope, testified before the Deputy Inspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa that another suspect was released on bail in Kasungu on Wednesday and that people in the district are living in fear because of the suspect’s freedom.

Mwapasa assured the petitioners that the police are set to curb the practice by, among other things, launching an investigation to find the brains behind the malpractice.

“We know that most of the people we arrest are not masterminds of the actions but rather are just hired by some influential persons and it is these people we are looking for,” said Mwapasa.

He, however, said at the moment it is hard to strip the suspects of the right to bail as the Constitution grants it to every person