Catholic priest convicted of albino murder in Malawi
A Catholic priest was convicted of albino murder in Malawi, a court official said on friday that the 12-strong group, including a Malawi Catholic priest, police officer and hospital worker, was convicted of horrific murder of a man with an albino in 2018.
Five of these 12 groups were found guilty of the murder of 22-year-old MacDonald Masambuka who is albino.
Among them, the Catholic priest, Masambuka’s brother, a police officer and a hospital worker were sent to prison for processing human body parts.
Since 2014 in Malawi, there have been attacks against albinos for the use of body parts in the ritual of witchcraft, believed to bring wealth and luck.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported in 2016 that albino hunters can sell an entire human corpse for $75,000, and a limb such as an arm or leg for around $2,000.
Although nearly 700 attacks have been detected in sub-Saharan Africa in the last ten years, the cases are thought to be much higher than this number.
Tanzania and Malawi stand out as African countries that come to the fore in violence against individuals with albinism.
