Zomba Senior Resident Magistrate court yesterday sentenced a 36 year old man to 6 years imprisonment with hard labour for selling human bones.
According to Eastern Region Police Prosecution Inspector Superintendent Patrick Chambuluka, the convict Mwishi Msosa on 15th July, 2018 at Mwinjilani village, in the area of Traditional Authority Nyambi in Machinga offered for sale bones extracted from a human corpse to a certain businessman in the district.
The businessman, however, reported the matter to the village headman who with the help of members of the community arrested the convict and dragged him to Nselema Police.
Upon being interviewed, the convict confessed to have been sent by his friend who stays in Mozambique to find him a market for bones of a person with albinism.
When appearing before court, the convict pleaded guilty to the charge of transacting in human bones and the court convicted him.
In his submission before sentencing, Chambuluka pleaded with the court for a direct custodial sentence considering the seriousness of the offence.
He said cases to do with people with albinism are rampant in Machinga and people with albinism are living in fear in their own country.
Chambuluka added that what the convict did is inhuman and is a threat to the society.
But in mitigation, the convict pleaded for a non-custodial sentence saying that he has a family to look after.
Passing judgement, his worship Senior Resident Magistrate Christopher Makumba concurred with the state on the need for a direct custodial sentence.
He said people with albinism are living in fear because of people like the convict and it is the duty of the court to pass sentences that will reflect the offence.
Makumba further said despite that the convict was not found with the actual bones, his conduct alone is a threat to the society hence the need for a custodial sentence.
He therefore sentenced him to six years imprisonment with hard labour.
Mwishi Msosa comes from Limamu village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi district.
That’s good this people they are using bad ways of getting money ;especially in Nsanje u cant walk long distance at night