Ritualists cut off albino child’s arm
IN A case suspected to be related to rituals, unindentified people in Kitwe have chopped off and gotten away with the left arm of a seven-year-old albino child in Chantente Ward.
The victim is a grade one pupil at Mutupa Community School.
Copperbelt Commissioner of Police Charity Katanga identified the victim as Dorothy Mulenga of Mutupa farming area.
Ms Katanga said the incident happened yesterday around midnight across the Kafue River in Kitwe and that the assailants used a machete to chop off the hand.
Ms Katanga said the girl had her left arm chopped off slightly above the elbow after the attackers forced their way through the window into the bedroom where she was sleeping with her sister.
The attackers dragged the girl into a nearby bush where they severed her arm.
“I can confirm that we had an incident where unknown people chopped off and got away with the left hand of a seven-year-old albino who is a grade one pupil at Mutupa Community School in Mutupa farming area.
“They had her left hand chopped off slightly above the elbow after they forced their way through the window into the bedroom where the victim was sleeping with her sister after which they forcibly dragged the girl into a nearby bush,” Ms Katanga said.
She said the victim was rushed to Riverside police station where the matter was reported and police officers took her to Kitwe Teaching Hospital where she is being treated.
Ms Katanga appealed to parents with albino children to guard them jealously because they were being hunted by people engaged in rituals
"The chopping off of the left hand of a seven-year-old albino should put parents of albino children on alert. They should guard their children jealously,” she said.
Ms Katanga said an inquiry file had been opened and a manhunt for the assailants launched.