Malawian man nabbed for trying to sell nephew

Malawi Police in Mulanje over the weekend arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion that he attempted to sell his 14-year-old nephew.

Mulanje Police Station spokesperson Gresham Ngwira has identified the suspect as Biton Phambala who  approached a certain man at Mwanakhu trading centre in the district offering him the boy at a cost of MK1 million.

The police publicist Ngwira told Malawi24 that knowing the danger and sensitivity of the proposed deal, the buyer alerted the village headman who advised him to pretend willing to buy the victim as a way to catch the suspect.

Ngwira said the village head further advised the buyer to meet Phambala on Sunday to transact the deal.

On the fateful day, the suspect asked the nephew, who is an orphan to accompany him to a certain place coaxing the boy that he wanted to collect MK2, 000 which somebody owed him.

“The two ended up in a jungle from where the suspect urged the victim to wait a moment claiming he wanted to go and fetch the said MK2, 000.

“Eventually, angry villagers descended on Phambala but he was rescued by officials from Plan Malawi who later handed him over to Chambe Police Unit,” said Ngwira.

Meanwhile, the police have charged Phambala with child trafficking which is contrary to Section 9 of Child Care, Protection and Justice Act. The suspect will be taken to court to answer this charge.

“The police are therefore condemning this act as it’s a betrayal of the highest order on a relative,” said Ngwira.

The suspect Phambala hails from Harineki Village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Nkando in the district.