“Man of God” caught with Albino body Parts

A pastor with a Pentecostal church was one of the two people (the other one was a farmer in Mbozi district, Mbeya) who were caught yesterday (17th February) while attempting to sell albino body parts to a police officer who posed as a buyer. [The police got wind of the goings-on following a tip-off from a citizen.]

The two people who were caught are residents of Idweli village, Iyula location Mbozi District (in Mbeya region in Tanzania).

According to the Mbeya region commander of police, Zelothe Stephen, the suspects had been looking for buyers on Monday the 16th of February at Mwanjelwa market in Mbeya. They claimed that they were selling the body parts of a “white crow”.

The police set a dragnet to nab these people. One of the officers who was following up the case posed as a buyer. They named their price: it was Tsh 30 million (approximately USD 23500). As he did not have the money then, he promised to deliver it the following day.

On arrival, as planned, the next day, he was taken to the house of one of the culprits. There he was presented with four albino body parts which included wrists which were wrapped in two separate newspapers.

On “completion” of this transaction, these culprits were arrested. When the house of one of them was searched, “medicines” of various kinds were found.

Zelothe Stephen, the Mbeya region commander of police, says that the two will be arraigned in court very soon once investigation into the case is complete.

My Two Cents
I was greatly disturbed when I read this in the papers this morning. This was (and is) primarily because a man of God was involved in the trade of albino body parts. This is disheartening and overly frightening.

A pastor is a person who looks after people’s welfare and is supposed to be a person people can trust – trust even with their own lives. He/she should be a person whose character is above board.

The pastor in this article seems to me to be a person who would sell the choicest of flocks to hyenas – and not risk a ‘pinch’ on his conscience. According to me “A wolf in sheep’s clothing” is an apt description of such a person.

His behaviour confirms to me that what the Bible says about the last days is very true. The Bible says that in the last days people’s love for God will grow cold, hatred will increase and the love for money will abound.

The pastor’s love for money transcended his love for the word of truth. A horrible testimony!

As a bottom line
The perpetrators of animosity against albinos should have this drummed into their heads: All human beings’ right to life is equal. No one person has more right to live than another. Thus, these killings should be condemned vehemently from every nook and cranny.