Mangochi First Grade Magistrate Court has acquitted Biliyati Fidesi on allegation of trafficking a 14 year old boy to Mozambique for farming.

Mangochi Police Station Prosecution Officer, Inspector Amos Mwase told the court that the suspect allegedly committed the crime on January 25, 2023 at Napulire Estate in in the district.

Fidesi was arrested on January 25, 2023 when he tried to pass through Chiponde border in Mangochi without convincing security officers where he was going with the boy.

This prompted police to arrest him on child trafficking offense as he was traveling without official traveling documents.

During the court proceeding, Fidesi denied the allegations saying the boy was his cousin and he willingly wanted to go to Mozambique to work

He further added that before leaving for Mozambique the boy’s parents and relatives were notified and agreed to let him go to Mozambique to seek greener pastures.

But in his judgement First Grade Magistrate, Roy Kakutu found the accused person of not guilty because the boy who disputed the allegations, he willingly wanted to go to Mozambique to work and use the money to buy clothes and other necessities.

Kakutu said the state failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as it was on record that the accused and the boy were related and people in their village were aware of the trip to Mozambique.

He, therefore, acquitted Fidesi for lack of evidence on child trafficking.

Biliyati Fidesi comes from Matopola Village, in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Nyambi in Machinga.