Samia saddened by toddler killing, Police arrest four

KAGERA: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday expressed her sadness following the abduction and brutal killing of a two-year albino girl in Muleba District, Kagera Region.

Opening the Media Sector Development symposium in Dar es Salaam, the Head of State asked the delegates to join her in a minute of silence to remember the murdered toddler and in honour of the former Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN) Managing Editor, Ambassador Ferdinand Ruhinda who died on Saturday and laid to rest on Monday in the city.

“I have been shocked by the sad news of abduction and brutal killing of a 2-year girl in Kagera region,” said President Dr Samia.

Meanwhile, Police in Kagera region have arrested four suspects in connection with a missing girl child with albinism aged two and half years who was allegedly abducted by unknown people recently.

Acting Kagera Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Yussuf D Yussuf explained that the incident happened at around 8.30 p.m. on May 30, this year at Kamachumu Ward’s Bulamula village.

“The body of the missing child was recovered yesterday wrapped in a plastic bag along RuhangaMakongora road in Muleba district. Police have intensified efforts and have managed to arrest four suspects (names withheld) in connection with the incident. They will be arraigned in court when investigations are completed,” he said.

ACP Yussuf appealed to citizens with information to cooperate with security organs to find more suspects who were still at large.

Child abduction is an offence of wrongfully retaining, detaining or concealing a child or baby. Abduction is defined as taking away a person by persuasion, by fraud or by open force or violence.

There are two types of child abduction: parental child abduction and abduction by a stranger.

The same Act makes it a criminal offence for ‘other persons’ (e.g. non-family members) to ‘take or detain’ a child under the age of 16 without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

The majority of non-parental child abductions recorded by police are perpetrated by strangers or by people exploiting young people. Persecution of people with albinism is of great concern.

People with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated.

The mutilation and murder of people with albinism is often linked to witchcraft.

Persecution of people with albinism (sometimes abbreviated PWA), is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers.

Such superstition has been promulgated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as ingredients in rituals, concoctions and potions with the belief that their magic will bring prosperity to the user.

At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracized and even killed because they are presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck.

Albinism is a genetically inherited condition which is very rare and, worldwide, affects approximately one in 20,000 people.

Albinism occurs in both males and females and is not specific to any race or ethnic group.