Superstitious mob attacks journalists in Malawi under suspicion of being vampires

BLANTYRE: Police in Malawi are hunting for vigilantes who assaulted a BBC film crew this past weekend after accusing the reporters of being vampires.

The attack happened around 8pm Friday, when Dariud Gregory Barzagan, Ahmed Hussein Divela and Prince Anus Asamoah — journalists for British Broadcasting Corporation — were filming a documentary on traditional magic and the violence associated with it in the northern Karonga district.

Local journalist Henry Mhango accompanied the trio, and said they were attacked in the remote area of Malema.

“We found that some people were terrified because we were in two vehicles and they started mobilising themselves,” Mhango told VOA.

“When they came to us, they started confronting us saying they thought maybe we were blood suckers. In the first place, the discussions with locals were going on very well, but the more people were coming, the situation was becoming worse.”

He says a crowd armed with stones and other sharp objects assaulted the crew, confiscated some of their equipment and damaged one of their two vehicles.

Mhango, who suffered minor injuries, says they were rescued by police officers and other community leaders who took them to Karonga District Hospital for medical attention.

The attack is the latest incident resulting from a belief in superstition among Malawians.

Earlier in February, a mob in the southern district of Thyolo assaulted workers of the international non-governmental organisation Jhpiego, on suspicion they were bloodsucking vampires.