The Roman Catholic Church in Malawi has requested Pope Francis to dismiss a Priest from Zomba Diocese, father Thomas Muhosa, who was convicted of killing a person with albinism.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) Secretary General, Father Henry Saindi, has confirmed the development.
According to father Saindi, the Roman Catholic doctrine states that when a priest is convicted of a crime and has to serve a jail term, his Bishop requests the Pope to remove his clerical state.
Father Muhosa and 11 other people were convicted of murdering a person with albinism, Macdonald Masambuka in Machinga in 2018.
The other convicts include Alfred Yohane, police officer Chikondi Chileka, clinician Lumbani Kamanga, biological brother to the deceased and Cassim Masambuka.
In In his mitigation, Father Muhosa said he is now a reformed person and pleaded with the court to be lenient with him so that he can go and preach to people on repentance.
“I am pleading for your Mercy. I know that l have offended many. Please My Lady l have changed.
“I am not the same person. I have changed alot in prison. l have learnt alot that has changed my life.
My presence in prison was important. I am not a criminal My Lady. This mistake just happened; I am here because l was tricked by a police officer. I just beg for your Mercy. I am a changed person,” said father Muhosa in court recently.
Earlier, the state asked the High court in Blantyre to hand a life imprisonment sentence to a Father Thomas Muhosa and 11 other convicts.
However, Senior State Advocate, Pilirani Masanjala, said the convicts carefully planned to commit the offence which caused loss of life.
