MALAWI: Armed Robbers Terrorize Nsanama Parish
Luke Chimwaza
Armed robbers invaded Nsanama Parish of Mangochi diocese in Machinga in the night of Tuesday, October 07 and went away with some cash, a laptop, cellphones and the Holy Eucharist.
The development comes barely a month after another gang broke into a Convent at Kankao Catholic Parish in the same diocese.
The parish priest of Nsanama, Fr Matthew Likambale, confirmed the development in a communique to parishioners.
According to Fr Likambale, the armed robbers attacked the guard before making it into the Convent.
“Just to let you all know that we’ve had a torrid night after thieves attacked the Canossian Sisters Convent. They were looking for me. They pressed the Sisters to reveal my whereabouts but the nuns insisted I don’t stay in the Convent.
“They made it into the convent after they manhandled the watchman, hit him with a metal bar and a panga knife, then tied him up to a far corner away from the convent. They then broke into the Convent, opened the Tabernacle, took the blessed Sacrament (Eucharist) then made for the Sisters bedrooms,” said Father Likambale.
When contacted to comment on the matter, the Bishop Mangochi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Montfort Stima said he was disturbed with the news which seem to be an attack on the Catholic Church.
“It’s an issue about security which lands in the hands of government through police. We expect government to do all it can to protect Malawi citizens including the Catholic church. However, i know government cannot put the Police at everyone’s home. I therefore appeal to all people to collectively work towards dealing with such attacks,” he said.
This is the third serious attack on Catholic institutions in a space of two months; first it was St Patrick’s Catholic Parish in Lilongwe Archdiocese; then Kankao Parish in Mangochi Diocese; and now in Nsanama Parish of Mangochi Diocese.
