The Mozambican police have declared a manhunt for a number of grave robbers who invaded a cemetery and stole body parts of a deceased albino man in Tete province, in the western part of the country.
The district police spokesman told journalists on Wednesday that the robbers, after digging through concrete that was used to reinforce the grave, stole the body parts of the recently deceased 50-year-old albino.
“The suspects are still at large after the incident in Moatize district, in Tete province, but we are on their trail,” the police spokesman said.
He added that the deceased was recently buried in the village that borders Malawi.
“His relatives had reinforced the grave with concrete in anticipation of a possible theft but the robbers were able to contravene that to raid the grave and steal the parts,” he said.
“The cemetery is isolated. To get there it is a long distance, to go alone you have to think twice, otherwise maybe a team was involved,” he said.
In Mozambique and other eastern and southern African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola, body parts of albinos are much sought after for use in witchcraft and money making rituals.