Two Lebanese nationals, accused of hijacking a South African aircraft bound from Salisbury, Rhodesia, to Johannesburg last May, were each sentenced to eleven years imprisonment in Blantyre, Malawi, on Monday (18 September).

Nine hostages were being held when the diverted aircraft flew into Blantyre's Chileka airport, but Malawi's security forces succeeded in diverting the attention of the hijackers while their prisoners escaped unhurt.

South Africa had asked for the extradition of the two hijackers, Abu Kamil and Ajaj Yaghi, but Malawi put them on trial. Both men pleaded not guilty to charges of demanding money with menaces, wrongful confinement of persons, and unlawful possession of explosives.

SYNOPSIS: Two Lebanese nationals have been sentenced to eleven years imprisonment each for there part in hijacking a South African aircraft last May.

At Malawi's High Court, Abu Kamil and Ajaj Yaghi, pleaded not guilty to charges arising our of the hijacking.

But the court thought otherwise after they had heard how the aircraft, with nine hostages on board, had been forced to land at Blantyre's Chileka airport. Malawi security forces had succeeded in diverting the attention of the hijackers, while their prisoners escaped. After foiling the hijackers, Malawi turned down a South African request for their extradition.