Kamuzu Academy alumni offer K1m bounty on albino killers’ head

Kamuzu Academy Alumni Association (KAAA) has added its own voice on the public outcry condemning the barbaric and heinous acts being perpetrated against people with albinism in Malawi and have  offered a K1 million  reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of killers of  perpetrators of the ritual murders.

The grouping in a statement has made several proposals to President Peter Mutharika and one of them is that the government should set up meaningful rewards to entice members of the public who may have and can provide useful information for apprehension and/or prosecution of perpetrators of the abductions or murders.

“To this end we pledge of MK1 million as a reward to the person(s) who will provide information that will lead to immediate arrest and successful conviction of the mastermind(s) behind these abductions and killings,” says the statement issued by KAAA spokesperson, lawyer Davis Njobvu.

“We, the undersigned alumni of Kamuzu Academy, within Malawi and abroad, having  noticed the escalation of abductions and brutal killings of people with albinism in our country, Malawi, in the past few months/weeks, have decided to add our voice to those that are condemning  these barbaric and heinous acts.

“As sons and daughters of Malawi, we  share in the pains, distress and suffering of Malawians with albinism, their families and all people of goodwill caused by these killings which, in essence are a blatant and wanton violation of the constitutional right to life.

“We call upon the State and the Courts to protect people with albinism and further to jealously guard their freedoms.”

The KA alumni made  the following  proposals to the President and/or the Government:

1. To appoint a Commission to inquire into these abductions and killings. Amongst other things, this Commission should collate testimony of persons with valuable knowledge or experiences which can provide an insight and help the country to understand who are the people behind  these acts and where are the harvested body parts being used or merchandised.
2. To immediately establish a specialised  team of investigators and prosecutors with full funding and resources for them to focus purely on these cases to ensure that justice is done. All perpetrators must be brought to book and be punished  accordingly.
3. The Courts must  prioritize cases involving abductions and/or killings  and  ensure that hearings, judgment and all processes, are concluded timeously without  undue delays.
4. Offers must be made to the members of the  public for meaningful rewards if they provide  useful information for apprehension and /or prosecution of perpetrators of these abductions or murders. To this end we pledge the total amount of MK1,000,000 (One Million Kwacha ) as a  reward to the person(s) who will provide information that will lead to immediate arrest and successful conviction of the mastermind(s) behind  these abductions and/or killings.
5. All people with albinism, regardless of whether they are orphaned or not, should henceforth  be placed  under the protection and surveillance of the Police, District Commissioners, Chiefs and  such other authorities, to  prevent  further  abductions  or murders of people with albinism.

The statement says the abductions and killings “simply must stop!”