Man gets 21 years jail term for abducting four-year-old albino boy

A Court in Malawi on Monday sentenced a man who kidnapped a
four-year-old albino boy in absentia to 21 years in prison.

The court in the Southern City of Zomba handed sentenced Jafali
Ligomba, even though he is still at large and the child is yet to
be found, in the hopes that the punishment would be a deterrent to
others.

It was the first court case of the year involving crimes against
albinos, who faced kidnap and murder for their body parts, which
are believed by many to hold magical powers and are used in
“witchcraft.’’

According to a police statement, the kidnapping occurred in
November in the Mangochi district, when the boy was abducted while
his mother was away attending a funeral.

Reacting, president of the Association of People with Albinism
in Malawi, Overstone Kondowe, welcomed the harsh sentence but added
that it would need to be reviewed once the status of the missing
boy is established.

“It is a fair sentence. Being the first case this year, we hope
it will be a yardstick for further cases,’’ Kondowe added.

Since 2014, Malawi has registered 25 albino murders, as well as
numerous cases that involved the selling of body parts and
grave-robbing.

NAN

A Court in Malawi on Monday sentenced a man who kidnapped a
four-year-old albino boy in absentia to 21 years in
prison.

The court in the Southern City of Zomba handed sentenced Jafali
Ligomba, even though he is still at large and the child is yet to
be found, in the hopes that the punishment would be a deterrent to
others.

It was the first court case of the year involving crimes against
albinos, who faced kidnap and murder for their body parts, which
are believed by many to hold magical powers and are used in
“witchcraft.’’

According to a police statement, the kidnapping occurred in
November in the Mangochi district, when the boy was abducted while
his mother was away attending a funeral.

Reacting, president of the Association of People with Albinism
in Malawi, Overstone Kondowe, welcomed the harsh sentence but added
that it would need to be reviewed once the status of the missing
boy is established.

“It is a fair sentence. Being the first case this year, we hope
it will be a yardstick for further cases,’’ Kondowe added.

Since 2014, Malawi has registered 25 albino murders, as well as
numerous cases that involved the selling of body parts and
grave-robbing.

NAN