tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Police in the central district Dowa this week arrested a bishop and three elders of the Zion Church following the death of 19 church members who were prevented from receiving measles treatment.
The arrests come in the wake of widespread reports that leaders of the Zion Church throughout Malawi prevent its followers from seeking medical treatment when they fall sick, saying it is against their church?s doctrines.
Dowa Police spokesperson, Kondwani Kandiado, identifying the bishop as Lumbani Amos, said the suspects hid the victims at a confined place in Chitanje Village ?to prevent them from breaking church doctrines by seeking medical attention?.
According to Kandiado, police were tipped by members of the community that 12 of the 19 people at the site, including the bishop?s son, had died.
?We rushed there and managed to rescue the remaining seven, who were taken to Dowa and Chankhungu hospitals,? stated the official.
He further disclosed police received another tip on Monday that seven more members of the church had died in similar circumstances at Mvera, where nine were rescued and taken to hospital.
?These people are saying their church doctrines do not allow members of the church to receive any medical treatment, and that could be the reason why they hid patients to prevent them from accessing measles treatment at the hospital,? Chankhungu said.
As indicated by the police spokesperson, the bishop was detained and later released on bail after complaining of stomach pains, but the other suspects, identified as Frank Samuel (51), Daniel Mayenje (32) and Yeremiya Yotamu (32), were still at Mvera Police Unit.
Chankhungu said the four suspects would appear in court ?soon? to answer charges of failing to provide food and other necessities, contrary to Section 165 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, President Bingu wa Mutharika (pictured) has condemned Zion Church for the conduct. He was speaking in Luchenza, Thyolo, on Wednesday when he officially commissioned newly-built maize silos in the area.
?This conduct must stop. I?m not against freedom of worship but if it is against the welfare of the people, especially children, I?m totally condemning it,? said Mutharika adding ?I?m totally sad with what this church is doing, why should we let children die for no proper reason??
The Malawi leader quoted some verses in the Bible, saying ?nowhere in the Holy Bible or Quran does God condemn medication.?
He observed while the Zion Church is trying to preserve its doctrines, lives of people from other doctrines are put on danger because they are living in the same community with those who do not want to be treated.
The measles epidemic is most severe in sub-Saharan countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa.
http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/bishop-arrested-as-19-church-members-die-of-measles.html
The arrests come in the wake of widespread reports that leaders of the Zion Church throughout Malawi prevent its followers from seeking medical treatment when they fall sick, saying it is against their church?s doctrines.
Dowa Police spokesperson, Kondwani Kandiado, identifying the bishop as Lumbani Amos, said the suspects hid the victims at a confined place in Chitanje Village ?to prevent them from breaking church doctrines by seeking medical attention?.
According to Kandiado, police were tipped by members of the community that 12 of the 19 people at the site, including the bishop?s son, had died.
?We rushed there and managed to rescue the remaining seven, who were taken to Dowa and Chankhungu hospitals,? stated the official.
He further disclosed police received another tip on Monday that seven more members of the church had died in similar circumstances at Mvera, where nine were rescued and taken to hospital.
?These people are saying their church doctrines do not allow members of the church to receive any medical treatment, and that could be the reason why they hid patients to prevent them from accessing measles treatment at the hospital,? Chankhungu said.
As indicated by the police spokesperson, the bishop was detained and later released on bail after complaining of stomach pains, but the other suspects, identified as Frank Samuel (51), Daniel Mayenje (32) and Yeremiya Yotamu (32), were still at Mvera Police Unit.
Chankhungu said the four suspects would appear in court ?soon? to answer charges of failing to provide food and other necessities, contrary to Section 165 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, President Bingu wa Mutharika (pictured) has condemned Zion Church for the conduct. He was speaking in Luchenza, Thyolo, on Wednesday when he officially commissioned newly-built maize silos in the area.
?This conduct must stop. I?m not against freedom of worship but if it is against the welfare of the people, especially children, I?m totally condemning it,? said Mutharika adding ?I?m totally sad with what this church is doing, why should we let children die for no proper reason??
The Malawi leader quoted some verses in the Bible, saying ?nowhere in the Holy Bible or Quran does God condemn medication.?
He observed while the Zion Church is trying to preserve its doctrines, lives of people from other doctrines are put on danger because they are living in the same community with those who do not want to be treated.
The measles epidemic is most severe in sub-Saharan countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa.
http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/bishop-arrested-as-19-church-members-die-of-measles.html