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LILONGWE, Malawi (AFP) — A Malawi Catholic priest, a policeman and hospital employee are amongst a dozen convicted over the 2018 ugly homicide of a person with albinism, a court docket official mentioned Friday.
5 out of the 12 have been discovered responsible of killing MacDonald Masambuka, 22, on the peak of a criminal offense spree that noticed over 40 murders and 145 assaults on folks with the situation within the nation.
The priest, Masambuka’s brother, a policeman and hospital worker have been convicted of transacting in human physique elements.
“MacDonald was betrayed by these he had belief in, particularly the brother, the priest, the policeman and the scientific officer. These are positions of belief,” the nation’s public prosecutions director Steve Kayuni advised AFP.
From 2014 Malawi suffered a wave of assaults over a number of years towards albinos whose physique elements are utilized in witchcraft rituals within the mistaken perception that they create wealth and luck.
In a judgement handed down Thursday, a excessive court docket concluded that the 12 plotted to kill Masambuka to extract his bones, hoping to learn financially.
“This can be a violation of the fitting to human life and the best violation of the rights to life and integrity for individuals with albinism,” mentioned choose Dorothy NyaKaunda Kamanga.
Masambuka was murdered after being enticed by his brother to satisfy his associates who he claimed had discovered him a lady to marry.
Sentencing has been set for Could 31.
There are round 20 circumstances beneath prosecution in Malawi courts involving the homicide, tried homicide, exhumation and promoting of physique tissue of individuals with albinism, mentioned Kayuni.
Activist and former UN rapporteur on albinism, Ikponwosa Ero, mentioned the newest case “factors to a critical security concern for folks with albinism in Malawi”.
© Agence France-Presse
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