MALAWI: Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka Rewards Brave Police Officers
Fr Edward Kamanga
Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka of the Catholic Diocese of Karonga in Malawi has awarded brave Police officers at the 12th anniversary thanksgiving Mass held on 3rd December at St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral in Karonga after they rescued a man suspected of witchcraft from being killed by irate villagers.
The said Police Officers including the Officer In Charge of Kiwe Police station Mr. Mwalwimba and other Officers were severely beaten by villagers of Mwakamowo near Songwe, the Malawi border to Tanzania.
A village headman of the area invited a witch doctor to cleanse the Village. When the Police Officers heard about it and went to rescue the suspect, they were severely beaten so much that the Police Officer In-Charge was left half dead and covered with leaves. Upon noticing that the Officer In-charge was nowhere to be seen, his fellow officers mounted a search and discovered him in a pool of blood in the wee hours of the following day.
Bishop Mtumbuka has condemned the barbaric act as it violates the dignity of a human person. He has called on the President and the Minister responsible to discipline these crazy chiefs and villagers. He further condemned corrupt chiefs and those who call for meetings on Sunday and deny Christians the chance to go to Church.
During the Mass, Rt. Rev. Mtumbuka also joined the Christians to sing the “Te Deum” a Latin thanksgiving song to the Lord for the gift of the Diocese. During the Thanksgiving Mass, parishes and institutions contribute financially to the running of the Diocese. This year the target was to raise 16 million Malawi Kwacha and Christians have contributed in excess of 18 million Kwacha.
The bishop thanked the Christians for giving generously despite passing through difficult times. At the same Mass, he elevated St. Thomas More Sub-Parish to the status of a Parish.
