Police in Chikwawa have taken into custody a 22-year-old man suspected to have demanded pubic hair from a 30-year-old woman with albinism.
The suspect, Ephraim Thomas, was arrested on 1 February this year but he committed the offence in 2014 at Zalera Village in the area of Sub-Traditional Authority Ndakwera in the district.
In that year, the suspect told the woman to give him her pubic hair, saying he wanted to use it to cure his sick wife.
He claimed that he had been instructed by a witchdoctor to get the pubic hair.
After the woman rejected the request, the suspect threatened to use all means to get the hair.
This forced the woman to report the matter to police.
Thomas fled to Mozambique after noting that the issue had been reported to relevant authorities.
He returned early this year thinking the issue had been forgotten but he was arrested.
Thomas is facing a charge of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and is expected to appear in court anytime soon.
He hails from Zalera Village in the area of sub-T/A Ndakwera in Chikwawa district.
Meanwhile, police in the district have called on members of the public to dispel myths surrounding persons with albinism, and have further warned that those who will be propagating those myths will be swiftly brought to justice.
