By Feston Malekezo
Police have arrested the mother and step father to the missing 12-year-old boy with albinism, Joseph Kachingwe, who went missing in the southern district of Phalombe last week.
National Police spokesperson, James Kadadzera, said on Wednesday that the five suspects arrested include the mother, step father and an uncle to the 12 year old boy.
The suspects; mother to the victim, Mary Nankhuku aged 43, Humphrey Elia, 29 who is step father to the victim, the victim’s uncle Beaton Tabwali aged 63 and two other relations to the victim, Eniphat Chinawa, 35 and Patrick Chinawa, 38 have been given holding charges of conspiracy and abducting with intent to murder.
“We strongly believe that the relations know something but investigations are still ongoing,” said Kadadzera
The albino boy went missing on July 6, 2018 after an outing with two friends for Independence celebrations in the district.
“As it was getting late friends to the victim went home leaving Patrick who was now in company of his relatives. But the boy never returned home until it was reported to police in Phalombe. So as police we are tracing Patrick’s movements from the day he went to the celebrations to the day he went missing,” said Kadadzera.
A recent Amnesty International report says erroneous beliefs and superstitions have put the safety and lives of people with albinism at risk in Malawi, including from killings, abductions, and mutilations.
Police say that the beliefs have fueled the murders and so far 25 people with albinism have been killed.
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