Witchcraft Arrests

At least three people are being held in police custody in Mozambique following a rash of murders earlier in the month. Murder, mutilation, and the exhumation of human bodies in order to harvest and traffic body parts for the use in witchcraft have become common practices in the region, particularly in the northern and central areas. They most often cultivate the genitals and sell them to neighboring areas, such as Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In the past few years, several have been detained for these same reasons, including two men who were caught with a cache of human bones. One man arrested in conjunction with the slaying of nine innocent people was released for unexplained reasons and lynched by the populace.

Some politicians have called for a bill to be passed, specifically targeting the practices.