Malawi president orders arrest of Aniva "the hyena"

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has ordered the immediate arrest of Eric Aniva, a Malawian who told BBC that he had slept with over 100 girls as young as 12, and women as part of a so-called traditional "cleansing."

Aniva, who is in his 40s, confessed to BBC that he has HIV yet he has been sleeping with the women and the girls without any protection as demanded by the "cleansing" tradition.

His story hit the international media over the past weekend and continues to make headlines across the globe.

According to the BBC's correspondent, Ed Butler, Aniva is nicknamed "hyena of the village" and as a hyena, his role of "cleansing" women and girls is acceptable in the society he lives in and he gets paid between 4 and 7 U.S. dollars for it.

President Mutharika, through a statement signed by his Press Secretary Mgeme Kalirani, ordered an immediate arrest of Aniva "the hyena," describing his acts as deplorable, disturbing and unacceptable.

"As the Malawi leader and Commander-in-Chief of the Malawi Police Service, the President has directed the Police to immediately arrest Mr. Eric Aniva, investigate him and take him to court forthwith for the defilement cases which he apparently confesses to," reads the statement.

The statement continues: "And since Mr. Eric Aniva confesses to be HIV positive and that he never uses protection in his evil acts against the innocent girls and women, he should further be investigated for exposing the young girls to contracting HIV and further be charged accordingly."

Mutharika has also directed the Police, the District Commissioner and Chiefs in the district to investigate all men and parents involved in the shocking malpractice and that all people involved in the malpractice should be held accountable for subjecting their children and women to the deplorable act.

"While we must promote positive cultural values and positive socialization of our children, harmful cultural and traditional practices cannot be accepted in this country," further reads Mutharika's statement.

Mutharika says the horrific practices, although done by a few people, also tarnish the image of the whole nation of Malawi internationally and bring shame to all Malawians.

Maximum sentence for defilement in Malawi is life Imprisonment with Hard Labor. Endit