The Liwonde First Grade Magistrate Court has sentenced a 27-year-old man to six years imprisonment with hard labour for abducting a girl child.

Machinga Police Publicist, Constable Davie Sulumba told YFM online that until his arrest, the convict, Frank Namanja had been keeping the victim under his custody for ransom.

Sulumba said Namanja offered to ferry the child to Malawi for free but later demanded money in return.

“Upon arrival in Malawi the convict started pressuring the child’s relatives to give him a sum of K120, 000.00,” he said.

The publicist said the matter was later reported to Limbe police and the convict was arrested immediately.

Sulumba said during a court hearing, the convict pleaded not guilty to the charge, a development which forced the state prosecutor to parade five witnesses to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

“After full trial Namanja was found guilty and His Worship First Grade Magistrate Jones Masula sentenced the convict to six years,” he added.

Namanja hails from Nsamati Village, Traditional Authority Kalembo in Balaka district.