Friday, March 29, 2024

Mpika couple keep daughter ‘captive’ for ten years

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A 29-year-old woman of Chisesa village has been held captive for ten years by her own biological parents.

Mulenga Mwila, 79, and Eniah Mwila, 69, have been keeping their eighth born daughter in the house for more than 10 years, a situation which has raised concerns from both the community and other family members.

The incident was confirmed by both Mpika District Commissioner, Moses Katebe, and police officer in charge for Mpika, Kennedy Langeni.

Maloba Mwila was found by one of the relatives, Daniel Lwendo, who went into the house incognito and found his sister in a tiny room lying under the bed without any linen while her hands were tied to the bed.

Daniel later went to report the matter to other relatives within the village who advised him to report the matter to the District Commissioner so that both parents could be arrested.

According to the area Councillor, Kelly Nsofwa, Maloba went missing 10 years ago and parents told the concerned people and other relatives that their daughter was taken to the copperbelt by her auntie so that she could be sponsored to college.

Mr Nsofwa explained that he had been receiving some tips from the community members that Maloba Mwila had been detained in the house by her parents who kept on refusing and accusing the village headman that he was inciting the community to rise against him on allegations that he was a wizard.

Police, together with the District Commissioner, rushed to Kabinga and went straight into the house and found the woman who went missing at
the age of 15 years.

Mr and Mrs Mwila were taken together with their sick daughter to Mpika District Hospital where she has been admitted.

And in an exclusive interview, father told ZANIS that the daughter became insane in 2007 and was very violent hence he decided to keep her away from the general public.

However, according hospital authorities, Maloba has been referred to Kasama General Hospital Psychiatric Evaluations as she is being suspected of being psychotic

Maloba’s insanity has brought about a lot of mixed feelings from the community members who are suspecting rituals and demanded that the law take its effect and called on government to punish parents who are in a habit of abusing their own children.

Human Rights Commission Coordinator for Northern and Muchinga Provinces, Kebby Malila, told ZANIS in a telephone interview that parents had no right to keep their own child in the house even if the daughter is insane.

Mr Malila explained that the justification that parents have given of preventing the insane lady from the general public because of being violent was not enough, adding that the violent condition would have helped them to quickly take Maloba to the hospital.

Mr Malila said his commission has developed interest in the case and will this week visit Chisesa village of Kabinga to investigate the matter and once the truth is established, the Human Rights will take the parents to court for force imprisonment.

But when contacted for a comment, Mpika police officer in charge, Kennedy Langeni, said the police have found it difficult to arrest the parents of the girl because the matter is complicated and may be difficult to prove in court.

The officer in charge told ZANIS that no statement was recorded from Daniel Lwando to stand as a witness as he has been treated as an informer.

Mr Langeni said cases to do with rituals are difficult to prove in court because there is no law that talks about witchcraft and the punishment.

The officer in charge has since appealed to human rights activists to help Maloba Mwila so that she can recover quickly.

Yesterday, scores of women in Mpika district harassed the mother of Maloba whom they described as a heartless mother.

The irate women almost pounced on Eniah Mwila, 69, for neglecting her own daughter to such an extent for ten years but she was rescued by hospital authorities.

Maloba is still at Mpika District Hospital awaiting transport to take her to Kasama General Hospital for psychiatric evaluations.

[ZANIS]

37 COMMENTS

    • Nothing wrong with that!

      Pointless to comment on a non-starter of a story. What is wrong with that they ust have been doing that in her own interest!
      My fiance has been keeping me in his head for 10 years, so?

      Stop seeking attention Lusakatimes

      Thanks

    • This Mushota of a person re you really that desperate or lonely that at any chance you get ,you sek attention,seek medical help coz from where am sitting am getting the conclusion youre a retard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • @Rebased Opinion

      That is BIG sign which can`t be ignored!! Sata´s village in fact directly next to that hut where that poor girl was caged and found, Who knows these are Sata`s relatives thats why they did what they did

    • dobo

      I think you have Autism,they say when one has it they want to use the same route over and over,i see that in you wanting to play the tribal card everyday.

  1. Its looks like its culture from that part of the country.. shocking but not surprising!! just look at those names… they tell a story about tribe and what type of people … afew days ago a mother with a similiar name killed, cooked and ate her child as a result the removal of subsidies by the PF govt,,, end of times!! kaya mwe

    • Ndobo please dont exhbit your foolishness in public!!Dont think because you are sweeping the streets and cleaning toilets in europe then you are cleverer than people in Zambia.Stop belittling people even if you dont like them .Have respect for everyone and people will respect you.

      IF YOU ARE FILLED WITH PRIDE THEN THERE IS NO ROOM FOR WISDOM IN YOUR MIND!!!WISDOM I BETTER THAN SILVER AND GOLD!!!

    • @ubuntungwa
      read the story and tell me something which makes sense,,,that is Sata`s village!! just look at Sata`s cruel face it will tell you a terrifying story!!

  2. She went missing 10 years ago when she was only 15 and she si now 29. So were does the extra 4 years cme from?

  3. Very strange and weird.

    To what extent do parents have rights on their offspring in this type of situation? Was there abuse involved?

  4. Ububwena buloshi ubu bane, why wasnt she taken to the hospital if she was insane? The cops are just dull coz they cant say this is a complicated issue. Maybe the officer in charge nindoshi nayo so hez afraid of the “night battle of the titans…” akose!

    • .. they were benefiting from her state of mind. In Poland daughter was kept for many yrs and has children with his father while the mother took no note of it 🙁

  5. There was a couple who used to keep their mentally retarded son in a locked up room in my hood in Ndola when i was young.This has just made me to realize that what they used to do was unlawful.Sad story.

  6. The parents are been portrayed as evil when in actual fact all they did was keep their mentally challenged daughter from the public.They probably tied her to keep her from going out in the streets and being mistaken for a PF cadre.Besides what did you expect them to do? The hospitals have no drugs and even if they do its not like the drugs don’t have adverse side effects.Whats wrong with them looking after their own daughter?

  7. I am inclined to agree with ndobo @4 that this could be part of culture in that region because not long ago one of them, a senior cabinet minister shocked us by revealing that wife battery is indeed part of their culture. Weird!

  8. Believe you me and seriously so, this kind of abuse is very common by parents and relatives. A lot of mentally retarded people are held captive against their own will in a lot of house holds across the country.
    Some its due to sheer ignorance and in apparent protection of the retarded person, others its due to embarrassment and down right cruelty.
    Both situations are inexcusable and require criminal charges of Kidnapping and false imprisonment.
    The ignorance of that Police Officer shocks me to the core! Arrest those parents man!

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