Man narrowly escapes lynch mob after he is mistaken for a ‘bloodsucker’ in Milange, Mozambique

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Man narrowly escapes lynch mob after he is mistaken for a ‘bloodsucker’ in Milange, Mozambique

7:16 CAT | 11 Sep 2017

Lusa (File photo) / Locals reportedly mistook the bag of auto accessories the man was carrying for instruments used to extract blood.

A man narrowly escaped being beaten to death in Milange, Zambezia, central Mozambique, on Monday when locals mistook the bag of auto accessories he was carrying for instruments used to extract blood.

He was accused of being a “bloodsucker”, a folklore character dating back to colonial times, District Police Commander Fernando António told Lusa. “A wave of misinformation about alleged ‘bloodsuckers’ is stirring the district of Milange,” Antonio said.

A Border Guard force intervened to disperse the mob who had beaten the man up and were preparing to set him on fire. Two people were injured after being shot in the melee.

Local media reports that the victim of the attempted lynching is receiving medical attention at Milange District Hospital.

Fear of ‘bloodsuckers’ has prompted authorities to mount information campaigns in response. Milange’s director of Health, Women and Social Action, Leonardo Mareço, said that blood donation process was exclusively a health activity using only qualified personnel to collect blood.

Milange has also recently been shaken by a wave of persecution of bald people, a phenomenon linked to superstitions now being combated with the help of traditional healers.

Source: Lusa