Father sells his daughter

Xomba chief resident magistrate court has sentenced a 22 year old man to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for offering for sale his 7 year old biological daughter born with albinism.

The state through regional prosecuting officer senior superintendent Dickens Mwambaxi told the court that the suspect Yasin Pichesi on 11th June at Muheya village in Machinga district took away the daughter by deceitful means with the intent to murder her.

Mwambaxi said they had received a tip that the suspect was offering for sale bones of a person born with albinism.

He said police started tracking him and used one of their officers superintendent Frank Daniel Chambo as a potential buyer.

“The suspect took the Chambo to Munde hills where he said had hidden the bones but did not find them and claimed that his friend might have taken them. He later changed tune saying that since the bones were not found he could sell his 7 year old biological daughter at the price of 11 million kwacha because he wanted money.He then went to his home where he took the victim after deceiving her mother that he wanted to buy her clothes and was arrested as he was about to hand over the child,” explained Mwambaxi.

He also informed the court that during interrogation Wyson Pichesi confessed that between 2015 and 2016 in Mangochi he had also conspired with Thomas Yusuf to murder Sherrif Buba a boy living with albinism with the intent to remove bones and sell them to a business man in the district.

“This forced the police to arrest the second suspect.Pichesi was charged with three counts while Yusuf with conspiracy to commit felony,” Mwambaxi said.

Wyson Pichesi comes from Selemani village TA Ngokwe in Machinga district while Thomas Yusuf from Chingo village TA Chowe in Mangochi district.