Malawi Police arrested a second man in lower shire district of Nsanje who was plying his trade as a ‘hyena’ having sex with underage girls to initiate them into womanhood.
Aniva: Malawi’s sex ritualist
Vito Nkhambala, in his early 40’s was arrested after Eric Aniva, 45 sparked social media outrage when he told local and international media that families pay him to have sex with young girls to mark their passage from childhood into adulthood.
Like Aniva an HIV-positive man who is facing charges of having sex with more than 100 adolescent girls as part of initiation rites into womanhood, Nkhambala also disclosed that parents were hiring him as a ‘hyena’ when the girls reach puberty as a form of ritual cleansing.
Nkhambala, who hails from Makwiza Village in the area of Traditional authority Ndamera , appeared before the Nsanje First Grade Magistrate court on Friday.
He was formally charged like Aniva with an offence of prohibition of harmful practices.
Nkhambala pleaded guilty.
“I plead guilty to the charge but it was in the past which I was forced to do it,” said Nkhambala.
He was convicted on his own plea.
In the same court, First Grade Magistrate Anderson Masanjala discharged another ‘hyena man’ Theniford Jampa 65 who hails from Nthole Village in the area of Chief Chimombo.
He was charged with a holding charge of prohibition of harmful practices under section 5 sub sections 1-2 of Gender Equality Act of 2013 which he pleaded not guilty in his first appearance in court last week.
The court acquitted him when the state claimed to have no substantial evidence to prove their case against him.
Prosecutor identified as Nanchikwe, asked the court to discharge Jampa as currently they have no substantial evidence to prove their case against him.
Immediately, Magistrate Masanjala ordered Jampa’s acquittal.
“Your case has been discharged and now you are a free man,” ruled Masanjala.
On Aniva, Magistrate Masanjala denied him bail saying “it is wise for Aniva to remain on remand so that police can finish their investigation.”
Aniva is said to have slept with at least 104 women, some girls as young as 12-years-old for a three days ritual acts.
The man who has two wives said he had also performed the so-called sexual cleansing act on widows and that he did not use protection, despite being infected with HIV, the virus that causes Aids.
Aniva and Nkhambala trial will resume on August 15.
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