Kenyan attempting to sell an albino arrested

Written By:The Citizen , Posted: Tue, Aug 17, 2010

Police in Mwanza have arrested a Kenyan in a guest house attempting to sell an albino, also a Kenyan national.

Addressing a press conference in his office, the Mwanza regional police commander, Mr Simon Siro, said Mr Nathan Mutei,28, was selling Mr Robinson Mkwama,20, for Sh400 million.

RPC Siro said the two had arrived in Mwanza through illegal routes on August 12 from Kitale in the Rift Valley where Mr Mkwama was working as a hawker. They had no travel documents when they were arrested, he said.

According to RPC Siro, both Kenyans are long time friends and belong to the Luhya tribe. He said Mr Mkwama had finished Form IV in Kenya.

RPC Siro said Mr Mutei managed to lure Mr Mkwama that he would find him a bus conductor's job in Mwanza through his contacts, assuring him that the job pays well.

According to Mr Siro, the two were staying at River Side Hotel in Buzuruga ward, Nyamagana District. The police received a tip from Good Samaritans that there was a man selling an albino, he said,

"He was looking for customers from the mining sector believing that they have the money to pay and the secret police posed as customers during their encounter at the hotel at about 4pm on Sunday"

RPC Siro refused to disclose the whereabouts of Mr Mkwama or whether he will also be charged for entering Tanzania illegally. But he insisted that the police are keeping him in a safe place as their key witness in the case.

Tanzania has witnessed a spate of killings of people with albinism, ostensibly for witchcraft beliefs.

The killings forced the government and some international organizations to intervene and take legal action against the killers.