Eric Aniva of Nsanje district in southern Malawi [a confirmed HIV-infected elder in the community] serves as the custodian of an archaic culture that bestowed on him, the express rights to sleep with teen girls at the sight of their first menstruation.

Picture shows Eric (L), Fanny [one of his wives], Fanny’s sister, and a client.

Eric who was arrested Monday 25 on the orders of Malawi President Peter Mutharika, after he confessed to BBC and other local media organisations during an interview, said he had slept with over 104 young girls ranging from the age of 12 to 18–as well as countless widows who must undergo weird cleansing and initiation ceremonies once their husbands died.

“[Referring to other elders, guardians and parents in the community who are aware of the evil cultural practices] After the investigations, arrests may follow,” said Mgeme Kalilani, the presidential press secretary.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Mgeme said: “President Mutharika was disturbed with the report on BBC and has vowed to protect young girls and vulnerable women, especially the widows”.

He quoted Mr President as saying that “young girls and widows should not be exploited through the use of culture”.

What sort of culture is this that has lasted for decades without any human rights organization getting to know about it? A culture that leaves innocent young girls and widowed mothers in the hands of an HIV-infected man is evil and cruel.

Sad as it is, such cultures still thrive in most developing and underdeveloped countries, wiping away generations and putting many through unbearable agonies of a lifetime–in this 21st century.

What magical powers does Eric Aniva‘s penis bring between the legs of his victims?

When a man with the hyped magic stick can’t protect himself against HIV, how possible is it that he can save lives or ward off evil spirits? Lack education is worse than any disease that one can ever think of.

Image shows Eric displaying one of the roots he grinds and mix with water to drink before having sex with victims.

Reports confirm that the Malawian in his forties, nicknamed “the hyena”, gets about $5-$7 for the sex services with teen girls as part of ritual cleansing.

Sexual cleansing involving ‘hyenas’  is common practice in southern Malawi- and women are required to participate in it at various points in their life, including if their husband has died or if they have an abortion, a report confirms.

Mutharika,  according to a statement issued by Presidential spokesman Mgeme Kalilani,  said: “It is shocking that the sexual violations are reportedly done with the full knowledge and support of some parents who ironically are supposed to be the guardians of the innocent children and the girls.

“Am reliably informed that these violations are done under the guise of culture which I find to be very extremely unacceptable,” said Mutharika.

The story surfaced online and everywhere around the globe, following a BBC News report in which Aniva explained that “he takes a child’s virginity in a three –day sexual cleansing ritual”.

Aniva said: “Most of those I have slept with are girls, school-going girls. Some girls are just 12 or 13 years old, but I prefer them older.

“All these girls find pleasure in having me as their hyena. They actually are proud and tell other people that this man is a real man, he knows how to please a woman.”

Although the HIV-infected ladies man maintains that there’s nothing wrong with “the job” he’s been doing, adding that the women and girls enjoyed his high-level “bedmatics”, one local woman said she was pressured into letting him “plow her garden”.

“There was nothing else I could have done,” the girl told the BBC.

“I had to do it for the sake of my parents. If I’d refused, my family members could be attacked with diseases — even death — so I was scared.”

Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika, pictured, ordered the arrest of a man, who described himself as a hyena, and was  paid by families to have sex with adolescent girls to help them transition into adulthood.

President Mutharika who ordered Eric’s immediate arrest said in a press conference that the sex offender should be prosecuted, using his testimony as evidence.

 

“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,” President Mutharika said.

The President has also directed the Police, the District Commissioner and Chiefs in Nsanje to investigate all men and parents involved in this shocking malpractice.

“ All people involved in this malpractice should beheld accountable for subjecting their children and women to this despicable evil,” said Mutharika.

The President adds that such harmful cultural and traditional practices involving sexual cleansing cannot be accepted in Malawi.

“These practices not only cast a shadow on the hard-earned achievements my Government has made on issues such as violence and HIV prevention but they also go against a vision of development that seeks to ensure that the youth (and in particular young girls), are able to achieve their full potential.

“Furthermore, these horrific practices although done by a few also tarnish the image of the whole nation of Malawi internationally and bring shame to us all,” said Mutharika.

The President reiterates that his government will not tolerate human rights violations upon any child, girl or woman. He also called on citizens to guard against harmful practices that expose children, girls and women to danger or violate their fundamental human rights.

“ Children, girls and women must be cared for, protected and provided every opportunity to survive peacefully and become productive citizens.

“Together, we owe to the more vulnerable in society to make a commitment to make this country a safer place for our children and women, for the future development of Malawi.”

In the report published by BBC magazine, Dr May Shaba, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Gender and Welfare, said: “We are not going to condemn these people. But we are going to give them information that they need to change their rituals.”

Charity organisations are working towards stopping the socially sanctioned gender-based violence through education.

Dr Howard Kasiya, health expert and director of the Adolescent Girls’ Advocacy Network of Malawi, told  The Guardian that to undergo ‘sexual cleansing’ is ‘often a death sentence for girls’.

‘Malawi has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world and 10 per cent of the population is HIV-positive,’ Dr Kasiya said.

When girls are forced to sleep with ‘hyenas’ they are often then pushed into arranged marriages, a process which converts a whole family and generations to HIV victims.

Malawi, as a country with one of the highest records on HIV infections in the world, criminalizes sex with a person under the age of 16. Therefore, Eric stands a chance to be imprisoned for life, if found guilty.

The UNAIDS and UNWomen expressed concern over Aniva’s confessions that he does not tell the young girls and women that he is HIV positive when he is sleeping with them.

Image Source: Daily Mail

The ‘sexual cleansing’ practice is still carried out in southern Malawi despite attempts to end it.

Eric Aniva, who has two wives and was reported to be in his 40s, said a ‘hyena’ was selected by the community based on good morals and that custom did not allow him to use condoms.