LIMBLESS ALBINO BODY FOUND

DAR ES SALAAM – Tanzanian police have found the mutilated body of a one-year-old albino boy whose abduction renewed calls for tougher action to stop the killing of albinos for their body parts, prized in black magic.

An armed gang snatched Yohana Bahati from his mother at their home in Geita region on Sunday, a month after the government announced a nationwide ban on witchdoctors, who are accused of encouraging attacks on albinos.

He was the second albino child in two months to be abducted in the Lake zone of Tanzania.

A four-year-old girl who was kidnapped in December is still missing.

More than 70 albinos have been murdered in the east African nation in the past decade, according to UN figures.

Geita police commander Joseph Konyo said police found Yohana ’ s remains on Tuesday and were still hunting for his killers.

“We are still determined to find whoever killed this young boy and bring them to justice. It doesn ’ t matter how long it takes,” Konyo said.

He said Yohana ’ s two siblings, who are also albinos, were under police protection while his mother, 30-year-old Esther Bahati, who was slashed with a machete as she tried to protect her son, is in a critical condition in hospital.

Vicky Ntetema, executive director of Under The Same Sun, a Canadian non-profit organisation working to defend albinos, said: “Police found the body yesterday [Tuesday] with his arms and legs hacked off.”

The UN resident coordinator for Tanzania, Alvaro Rodriguez, condemned the latest killing, warning that 2015 as an election year could be dangerous for people with albinism.

Analysts believe some politicians seek support from witchdoctors or traditional healers ahead of elections to improve their luck and seek albino body parts to be used in charms.

Ntetema asked: “When will people in my country realise that organs of persons with albinism will never make one wealthy, successful and win elections?” –