Kenyan in albino sale sting faces 17-year jail term

A Kenyan who was caught trying to sell his albino friend in Tanzania faces a 17-year jail term.

Mr Nathan Mutei, 28, who was on Sunday arrested for attempting to sell a man with albinism, also a Kenyan, was on Wednesday arraigned in court and charged on two counts.

The first count is for trafficking of persons contrary to Section 4(1)g(i) and Section 5 of Anti Trafficking in Persons Act No 6 (2008) of Tanzanian laws.

The second count against him was on abduction of persons in order to murder, contrary to Section 248 of the Penal Code.

He pleaded guilty to the charges but denied that he intended to kill him, insisting that all he wanted was money.

Mwanza Resident Magistrate Court sentenced Mr Mutei to nine years in jail or pay TSh80 million (about Sh4 million) in fine for the first count, and eight years sentence for the second count without fine.

Tanzanian laws do not allow sentences to run concurrently, therefore, the convict will serve eight years and also pay the fine. If he cannot pay the fine, he will have to serve a combined seventeen-year jail term.

Appearing afraid, and often trying to avoid the cameras in court, he quietly followed the judgment that was read to him by the Resident Magistrate Angelus Rumisha, which took less than 20 minutes.

The whole process from the reading of the case to judgment took about one hour, starting at around 2.35pm to 3.40pm.

Delivering the judgment, the magistrate said Mr Mutei had shamed Tanzania and its people for portraying the country as a market for people with albinism.

The magistrate disagreed with Mr Mutei, saying that he intended to kill Mr Mkwama because the killing of people with albinism is real in the country and not imaginary.