Man who held neighbor captive in his home for 28 years detained

The Judicial Council of the Djelfa province, located 300 kilometers south of the capital Algiers, issued a written statement regarding the matter.

The council's statement noted that an individual came to the public prosecutor's office on May 12 and filed a complaint, stating that their brother, who had been missing for nearly 30 years, was in a sheep pen at the home of a neighbor in the city of El-Guedid.

Following the report, a large-scale investigation was launched, and judicial police teams went to the house in question. The statement indicated that the missing person was found during a search of the home, and the 61-year-old owner of the house was taken into custody.

HIS FAMILY THOUGHT HE HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED BY ARMED GROUPS

The statement expressed that the prosecutor's office had ordered medical and psychological care to be provided to the victim and for the suspect to be referred to the prosecutor's office immediately after the investigation is completed, adding that the incident would be followed with all the rigor required by law.

Photos and videos were shared on social media in the country showing the captive person in a tragic state, wearing old clothes and with a long beard.

Activists also published a video on social media platforms showing the moment the captive person was found in a pit covered with straw.

According to information provided by activists, Omar bin Omran, who was kidnapped in 1996 at the age of 16, was found on the night of May 13 in a pit covered with straw at his neighbor's house, in a state of shock and unable to speak.

According to activists, Bin Omran's family believed he had been kidnapped and assassinated by armed groups operating in Algeria in the 1990s.

News Source: AA