Couple arrested for selling son at K1.5 million

Police in Dedza have arrested a couple for selling a 12-year-old son to a Mozambican family.

Confirming the arrest on Tuesday, Dedza Police Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Edward Kabango said the boy was sold at K1.5 million.

Kabango said the husband Jemitala Alfred, 23, is a stepfather to the victim and managed to convince his wife Mary Benard, 30, to sell the son.

“It is in police records that a Mozambican family came to Malawi in April this year to a certain witchdoctor to find out the cause of his child’s death back home in Mozambique.

“Coincidentally, when the Mozambican family went to the house of the witchdoctor, the suspect Jemitala was there too,” Kabango said.

He added that the witchdoctor, who is on the run, told the Mozambicans to come the following day after assuring them that their boy would resurrect.

“Then Jemitala rushed home and told their son to accept the particulars of the deceased in the presence of the Mozambicans.

“The witchdoctor also forewarned the Mozambican family against being surprised with some minor differences in the features of the boy saying he had fully transformed,” Kabango explained.

He said the boy did as directed and was taken to Mozambique as a son who had resurrected.

“The Mozambican family was charged K1.5 million which they paid,” Kabango said.

Kabango further said when uncle to the victim noticed that the boy was missing, he inquired about his whereabouts but his mother failed to give convincing answers.

“Upon sensing danger, Jemitala and the witchdoctor went to Mozambique and told the Mozambican family that they wanted to complete transformation of the boy back in Malawi.

“The Mozambicans accepted and the boy was brought back to Malawi.

“The uncle asked the boy where he had been all the months and he revealed what happened,” Kabango said.

The matter was reported to police leading to the arrest of the couple and has been charged with human trafficking which attracts a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Meanwhile, police is advising people to refrain from engaging witchdoctors to raise their dead saying they are mere tricksters.

Jemitala and his wife hail from Katsekaminga Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kamenyagwaza in the district.