Mozambique’s police say they found a head of a bald man which had been decapitated by criminals. The criminals wanted to sell the decapitated hear to a client from Mali.
According to the BBC, “When their customer disappeared, they left it in the central town of Muandiwa.”
It is a common belief held by some Mozambicans that bald men’s heads contain gold.
The first reported cases for bald men being decapitated for their heads in the country date as far back as 2017.
In 2017, Inácio Diná the police spokesperson blamed the killings on ritualists, and threatened to take action against perpetrators.
“Our preliminary conclusion indicates that the phenomenon is due to cultural beliefs,” he stated. “We are currently investigating the case to find out more and to understand the dimension of the problem. The phenomenon can lead bald people to be pursued and killed. This is a serious homicide crime. Our current interest is to catch and hold all those involved responsible.”
Body parts trading is a relatively common practice in countries like Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania where there are myths and beliefs that these body parts are useful in bringing fortune and luck in love.
With rituals in mind, people living with albinism are at a greater risk with their body parts being chiefly targeted. With the myths of the body parts being useful in rituals, body parts of people with albinism are especially prized.
Source: BBC Africa News
Africa Watch 24 