A Man who disappeared 28 years ago at the age of 16, found alive 200 meters from his family’s home in a neighbor’s cellar.
Omar Bin Omran of Algeria disappeared 28 years ago. He went missing in 1996 on his way to a vocational school.
A 61-year-old is in police custody after his brother apparently exposed him on social media over an inheritance dispute.
The post tipped off the family of Omar who then stormed the man’s home in search of their son. He was found under haystacks.
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Omar, the man who disappeared 28 years ago, was held in captivity by a man who lived alone and worked as a “civil servant.” He was often seen purchasing food for two people.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office received a complaint against an anonymous person claiming that the complainant’s brother, Omar bin Omran, who has been missing for about 30 years, is in the house of one of his neighbors, inside a sheepfold,” a court official said.
It’s not completely clear why Omar did not call for help for nearly 30 years.
Algerian media is reporting that Omar claimed he was unable to call for help because of a spell the abductor cast on him.
How he disappeared
Mr Bin Omran’s disappearance came in the middle of a decade-long conflict between Algeria’s government and Islamist groups.
His family feared he had been among an estimated 200,000 killed, or as many as 20,000 kidnapped, during the unrest.
But he was found hidden in a sheepfold under haystacks on 12 May, according to reports.
The public prosecutor’s office received a complaint against an anonymous person claiming that Mr Bin Omran was in the house of one of his neighbours, inside a sheepfold, a court official said.
The court official said: “Following this report, the general prosecutor ordered the national gendarmerie to open an in-depth investigation and officers went to the house in question.
“On 12 May at 8pm local time, [they] found victim Omar bin Omran, aged 45, in the cellar of his neighbour, BA, aged 61.”
The suspect reportedly attempted to flee the scene, but was restrained and arrested, the court official said.
The ministry said the investigation was still in progress and Mr Bin Omran was in the process of receiving medical and psychological care.
A spokesman described the crime as “heinous”.
Mr Bin Omran told his rescuers he had at times seen his family from his prison, but claimed he had been unable to call out for help “because of a spell that his captor had cast on him”, local media reported.
His mother died in 2013.
About the captor
The captor, a 61-year-old doorman at the municipality in the nearby town of El Guedid, was taken into custody after attempting to flee.
This man, who held Omar captive for over two decades, was not just a neighbor but also a municipal worker. His position might have helped him keep this heinous act hidden for so long.
The discovery of Omar was not a result of a planned search or investigation, but rather a fallout between the captor and his brother over an inheritance dispute. The captor’s brother aired his grievances on social media, which led to the recovery of Omar.
After being held captive for 26 years, Omar is now receiving medical and psychological care.
