Court sends two to prison for 12 years for offering to sell human being, bones
Mangochi Senior Resident Magistrate Court on Thursday, November 4, 2021 convicted and sentenced Rafick Anussa, 41 and Anusa Wilson, 21, to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for offering for sale a four-year old boy.
The court heard through state Prosecutor Sub Inspector Blessings Madikhula that in September, 2021 the convicts approached Jawadu Bernard, a renowned businessman at Namwera Trading Centre that they were selling human beings and bones.
Jawadu tricked the duo into bringing him a human being at a later date before informing the Police about the development.
Prosecutor Madikhula added that on the afternoon of October 6, 2021, the convicts brought the 4-year old boy to Jawadu at a price of K500,000.
The prospective ‘buyer’ lied to the duo that he was running out of cash and also wanted to hire a motor vehicle for easy movement and agreed that the two should take the boy to a nearby bush where the deal would be finalized.
Jawadu sneaked out and alerted the police who went together to the said place where the suspects were immediately arrested, according to Mangochi Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi.
They were charged with two counts – trafficking in persons, and offering for sale a human being.
Appearing before court, both the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the state paraded four witnesses who proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
In mitigation, they asked for leniency, saying that they are breadwinners for their old parents but prosecutor Madikhula informed the court that the convicts endangered and the life of the innocent child, hence prayed for a stiff sentence.
Passing judgement, Senior Resident Magistrate Rodrick Michongwe concurred with the state and therefore sentenced each of them to 11 years for the count of trafficking in persons and 12 year sentence for the count of offering for sale a human being. The sentences will run concurrently.
The convicts hail from Sailesi village Traditional Authority Katuli in Mangochi, according to the PRO.
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