A SEARCH is underway in Malaga for a man who failed to appear in prison to begin serving an 18-year sentence for child abuse.
The fugitive, a Nigerian man in his 60s, was found guilty in May of sexually abusing three underage girls who lived in the same home as him.
One of his victims was so distressed by the abuse that she told classmates she was contemplating suicide.
Authorities have placed him under formal ‘search and capture’ status after he missed all mandated appointments with law enforcement since the ruling in 2023.
The investigation was launched in 2019 after one of the victims shared her suicidal thoughts with classmates in a WhatsApp group.
In the inquest that followed, authorities discovered the girl had been sexually abused by the man, along with two other girls who lived under the same roof.
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In addition to his prison sentence, the man was given a 20-year and a 14-year restraining order for two of the girls, along with financial remedies of €30,000 and €5,000 for each.
In Spain, a prison sentence does not take effect immediately after a court conviction.
It only becomes official once all appeals are resolved and the court sets a date for the person to begin serving time.
Until that date, a convicted person may remain free for practical reasons, such as arranging prison placement or personal matters.
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If they fail to report to prison on the assigned day, authorities issue a formal search and capture order.
Anyone who avoids prison after their sentence is final is considered a fugitive and may face additional charges for evading justice.
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