Court hears from witnesses in albino abduction case
The High Court sitting in Mangochi District has finished hearing from witnesses in a case where three people are accused of abducting and killing Saidi Dyton, who had the condition of albinism, on January 27 this year.
The three suspects are 71-year-old James Pilo Khang’a, 45-year-old Sumaila Nkisi and 44-year-old Gayesi Katupe.
However, fourth suspect Lucius Ngalu is on the run.
The three are answering three charges of murder, in line with Section 209 of the Penal Code; extracting human tissues, in line with Section 224 of the Penal Code, and; trafficking in persons, as espoused in Section 14 of the Trafficking in Persons Act.
During the hearing, State prosecutors submitted that the three accused persons and Ngalu agreed to abduct the victim and kill him with the intention of extracting his body tissues for rituals.
The State paraded seven State witnesses, who included wife to one of the suspected persons, who testified to have seen her husband with a bag which she suspects contained the body parts of Dyton on January 27 2021.
State advocate Pilirani Masanjala, who is also Ministry of Justice spokesperson, said steady progress had been made in the case.
“So far, so good,” he said.
Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi President Ian Simbota echoed Masanjala’s sentiments, saying they were satisfied with how the Judiciary was handling the case.
“We hope that the court will expedite other cases related to the victimisation of people with albinism,” he said.
Meanwhile, the court has set September 9 this year as the day it would make a ruling on the matter.
Pilo Khang’a, Nkisi and Katupe are from Kadewere Village in the area of Traditional Authority Chowe in the district.
