UN awaits more action on cases against persons with albinism

The United Nations (UN) has said it expects more action from Malawi on cases related to attacks on persons with albinism to ensure maximum security and peace of mind for the victims who suffer because of misconceptions in society.

United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) country representative Johannes Wedenig said this in Lilongwe yesterday during the launch of a handbook aimed at guiding the handling of such cases.

“The quality of investigations and prosecutions has on a number of occasions been questioned. Police prosecutors are frequently unaware of the current legal framework that can be deployed in such cases,” he said.

Wedenig observed that despite many arrests in relation to the recent attacks on people with albinism, no one has been convicted of murder except for the June 2016 ruling on the attempted murder of a person with albinism.

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu promised that government will speed up the outstanding cases which are still in court and urged judicial stakeholders to follow the handbook for uniformity.

“The launch of this handbook signifies that all stakeholders will now be moving together in the way such cases are handled and the outstanding cases will be speeded up to set a good record,” he said.

Tembenu also said the amendment of the Anatomy Act and the Penal Code are a strong tool in the protection of persons with albinism.

Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) national coordinator Boniface Massah said the launch of the handbook has raised expectations that people will realise the equality of humanity and the importance of respect for life.

Cases of attacks on persons with albinism increased in 2015 and 2016 following beliefs that their body parts can be used for money rituals, but different sectors, including the UN, condemned the belief and called it unfounded. n