Police in Malawi arrested a radio journalist yesterday for broadcasting an interview with a man who claimed to have been attacked by a vampire.
Southern Malawi has been rife with rumours of blood-sucking vampires, fuelled by the popular belief that the government is colluding with vampires to collect blood for international aid agencies.
A judge later dismissed charges against Maganizo Mazeze of broadcasting false information likely to cause public alarm, after an interview on a local radio station with a tea-planter from the southern province of Thyolo.
”I am not bitter with anyone,” Mazeze said after his court appearance. ”In fact, my sojourn in jail has reinforced my resolve to unearth issues authorities would otherwise prefer buried.”
The police said there was no evidence to support the interviewee’s claims.
A man was recently stoned to death by villagers in Thyolo after being suspected of working with vampires. – Guardian Unlimited Â