Malawi court orders arrest of Pakistan mother for racism and baby abduction: ‘Asian Muslim can’t marry Tumbuka Christian’

A Malawian man Thando Mhango has obtained court order demanding the arrest of a Pakistan mother Salma Sattar for allegedly abducting his child and for discriminating him on grounds of race, color and religion.

Sattar is the mother to Mhango’s girlfriend of one and half years, Aisha Kali, 22.  The two started dating in 2014.

However, Sattar is said to have been against the relationship late alone her daughter having a baby of a man not of her race and religion.

Sattar and Kali are of Asian origin and are Muslims while Mhango is a Tumbuka and a Christian by faith.

According to facts presented in Blantyre Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court, Sattar has been against Mhango’s relationship with her daughter because he is black and a Christian, which she is said to be against her culture.

Complicating the matter is the fact that Mhango in 2014 impregnated Kali and Sattar was not pleased to a point that she demanded an abortion in order to cover-up the whole issue from her family.

However, In 2015- before Kali gave birth- Sattar changed her mind and made a pact with Mhango that he would be given the baby after birth but he should end the relationship with her daughter.

Surprisingly, Sattar sneaked out of the country same year with her daughter, soon after giving birth without notifying Mhango, forcing him to seek court’s help.

On Tuesday this week Mhango obtained a court order against Sattar after he found out that she allegedly left the country for Pakistan with Kali and his baby.

Issued and signed by Senior Resident Magistrate Viva Nyimba, the Order demands police to investigate and prosecute Sattar of criminal offence “bordering on child trafficking or infanticide or homicide’.

The order demands Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to institute inquiries on Sattar for allegedly discriminating Mhango on grounds of race, color and religion.

“The matter be reported to the press for possible publicity against the practice of discriminating the Applicant (Mhango) on grounds of race, color and religion, which practice infringes the Constitutional rights of every citizen,” reads the Order in part.

Magistrate Nyimba also issued Mhango and Immigration Department with Interlocutory Order against Sattar under Order 12 Rule 17 of the Subordinate Court Rules, restraining her, if she is still in Malawi, from leaving the country until the court makes its determination on the matter.

Background Details 

In an interview with Nyasa Times, Mhango disclosed his relationship with Kali started in 2014 and getting her pregnant was an agreed idea which was aimed at solidifying their relationship against Sattar’s resistance.

“Our relationship started in October 2014 and in April 2015 her family found out and she got in trouble for it to a point that she wasn’t allowed to go out for two months; and when she came out we decided that the only way for us to be together was if she got pregnant,” explained Mhango.

“And in September we found out that she was pregnant and she was hiding it from her family but her mother found out about it. On the 20th of April 2015- when she was about eight months pregnant- her mother asked to meet me, and when we met she criticized me, my religion, my race and everything”.

Mhango said Sattar demanded her daughter to abort the pregnancy but he managed to negotiate with her. At first Sattar had agreed to allow Mhango marry her daughter but in secret before changing her mind.

“She agreed with the arrangement and allowed me to marry her daughter. She even requested to meet my parents; and at the meeting the same thing was said. She said she can live with me happily with her daughter”.

On the 6th May, 2015 Mhango said Sattar texted him, claiming her family had found out about the pregnancy therefore he could not marry Kali, instead, he would be given the baby.

“I accepted it. However, on 20th May I got a Whatsapp call from Pakistan and it was my girlfriend’s mother. She said they had to go to Pakistan but the girl had not given birth yet and then two days later she called again, saying she lied; Kali gave birth about a week earlier but she lost the baby,” he added.

Mhango said his investigations found out that Kali gave birth to a live baby but her family was trying to hire doctors to kill the baby.

“I went to court and a summoned was served to her brother. Two days following the court summon, Mrs. Sattar called me, saying that the baby is alive but the doctor advised them that it needed to be with her mother for at least nine months; and since then I haven’t heard from them. My worry is if the baby is still alive or if they did something to my child,” complained Mhango.

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