Two arrested after being found with human bones

Police in Machinga are keeping in custody two men for being found in possession of human bones.

According to Machinga Police spokesperson constable Davie Sulumba, the two are Mussa Kachepa, 47, and Muhammed James, 27.

Sulumba said a woman in the district saw Kachepa bringing a travelling bag to his house and when he was asked to disclose what was in the bag the suspect did not reply.
“Next day the suspect took the travelling bag from the house and buried it in a nearby bush for safe keeping,” said Sulumba.

The woman secretly dug up the bag and realised that the contents of the bag were human bones. She then tipped the police who rushed to the place and arrested the suspects. The law enforcers also recovered the bones.

“The suspects revealed that they got the bones from a Mozambican who exhumed the body from the grave of a man who had leprosy,” said Sulumba.

He added that the two wanted to sell the bones to a certain lady from Liwonde but the woman is currently at large.

Meanwhile investigations are underway to find out if the bones are of a man who had leprosy or if they are of a person with albinism. The suspects will appear in court to answer the charge of being found with human bones contrary to Section 129 of penal code.

Kachepa and James hails from Koliha and Karambo villages respectively, both villages are in the area of Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga.