SIMON MUNTEMBA writes
“I WANTED to sell my son at on barter terms to enable me to start a fishing business because I have suffered a lot with no one to help me financially,” a 47-year-old man of Chienge District in Luapula Province has said.
John Chishimba, of Chilindi village, is alleged to have confessed to the police that he wanted to exchange his 13-year-old son with a boat because of extreme poverty.
He wanted to raise capital to engage in an income generating activity.
Police in Chienge have arrested the man for trying to sell the boy in exchange with a boat and fishing nets valued at K6, 800.
Luapula Province Commissioner of Police Elias Chushi said the suspect was detained at Mununga police post awaiting to appear in court soon.
Mr Chushi told the Sun that Chishimba had confessed to the police that he wanted to sell his son because he had suffered a lot and wanted to earn a living by venturing into the fishing business.
He needed a boat and fishing nets as capital.
Mr Chushi said on Friday last week around 09:00 hours Chishimba approached Davies Mpundu and told him that he had a son whom he wanted to trade in exchange for a fishing boat and nets.
“Yes, on May 20, 2019 around 12:20 hours, police in Chienge received a report of trafficking in persons in which Davies Mpundu, aged 35, of Kalobwa village in Chienge district was approached by John Chishimba, aged 47, of Chilindi village to sell him his son,” Mr Chusi said.
He said the following day, Saturday, around 09:00 hours, Chishimba took his son to Mr Mpundu and demanded to be given the boat and the nets as payment for the transaction.
Mr Chusi said the boy managed to escape and reported the matter to the Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU).
Members of the CCPU later apprehended Chishimba and took him to Mununga Police Post where he was arrested and detained.
