LILONGWE, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Malawi president Peter Mutharika has asked for an honest national dialogue on implementation of death penalty following the resurfacing of brutal killings of people with albinism.
Mutharika's request came barely a day after the United Nations strongly condemned the resurfacing killing of people with albinism in the southern African developing country following the recent brutal killing of a 22 year old man with albinism in eastern district of Machinga.
In a statement released Wednesday, UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Maria Jose Torres, described the trend as retrogressive and urged partners to redouble their efforts in increasing awareness to the people.
But reacting to the same through a press statement signed by his Press Secretary and Spokesperson, Mgeme Kalilani, Mutharika expressed shock and sadness and called for dialogue on implementation of death penalty.
"This depressing development is happening at a time government has made tremendous progress in efforts to stop such barbarous acts and the latest of these hideous attacks is the abduction and subsequent murder of Mr. McDonald Masambuka," reads the statement.
"...the President is asking for an honest national dialogue on whether the country should start implementing the death penalty or not on individuals sentenced to death for murder," continues the statement.
The statement further said the Malawi leader was aware that there were some stakeholders who passionately felt that implementing the death penalty on individuals sentenced to death could prevent others from attacking persons with albinism.
Mutharika has assured the public that the government will dig deep into the abduction and murder of Masambuka to ensure that all suspects are brought to book regardless of their social status.
The 22-year-old Masambuka went missing mid-March 2018 and his body was found on April 2 buried in a shallow grave with some parts missing.
Malawi Police Service have since arrested seven suspects including a police officer and a health worker at the district's hospital.
Over 120 cases of attacks on people with albinism have been recorded in Malawi since 2014 and out of these cases over 20 people were brutally murdered.
