Three Pakistanis convicted for kidnapping 5-year-old boy: Malawian suspect walked free

Three Malawians of Asian origin have been convicted for kidnapping a five-year-old  boy Tahil Shail  of Asian extract.

The three Pakistanis  were  arrested  on December 11 2018 when they abducted a five-year-old child Tahil Shail  of Asian extract demanded a K3 billion ransom from his parents.

Blantyre Magistrate Court heard from prosecution that the kidnappers demanded that the boy’s father Mohammed Shail, 34, a Malawian of Asian origin who has a string of businesses in both Blantyre and Lilongwe, to pay a $4 million (about K3 billion) ransom.

The three Pakistanis were  charged alongside their four Malawians accomplices with an offence of kidnapping in order to subject person to ransom contrary to  Section 263 of the Penal Code and child trafficking contrary to Section 79 (1) of Child Care, Protections and Justice Act.

The Chief Resident Magistrate acquitted three others and one Malawian  Ibrahim Omar Mataya, 21, had his case withdrawn after the  State made an application on undisclosed reasons.

Presiding magistrate Simeon Mdeza  now promoted as High Court judge found three men guilty and consequently convicted Lehrassib Khan, 25: Hanza Akbar, 23, son in-law of Shail and master minder Shazed Khan, 22 – all Pakistanis.

The three, who abducted the child  from Mpingwe on December 11 2018 and dropped him  at Kanjedza mosque , have since been remanded  to prison pending sentencing.

According to private practice lawyer Goba Chipeta who was part of the prosecution team, the sentencing will be held on December 29 2020.

Abductions are rare in Malawi.