Mother describes how her albino child was killed

This article was translated by Jean Burke for this blog from a Kiswahili newspaper (NIPASHE)

The first witness in the case of the murder of albino, Mariam Emmanuel (5), Flora Mabula (33) has described to the Supreme Court of Tanzania of Mwanza Zone that prior to the murder occurring the first defendant, Kazimili Mashauri (48), asked her children about the house where they sleep.

This witness who is the mother of the deceased, told the court that because they were related to Mashauri, the children told him that they stayed in their grandfather’s house and she (the witness) was not worried about this.

The murder of albino, Mariam Emmanuel took place on January 21, this year at the time of 4am in Nyangh’olongo village of Misungwi district where it is claimed the murder suspects cut off both legs and disappeared with them.

This case is being heard by Judge Protace Rugazia and the prosecution side is being led by Public Prosecutor, Ayubu Mwenda, assisted by Stephen Makwega and Judith Nyaki.
Guided by the lawyer Mwenda, the witness told judge Rugazia that Mashauri was recognized by her children while holding a torch after breaking into the house and entering their room. Flora continued to explain to Judge Rugazia that this torch was used to illuminate the deceased where they were sleeping and the other murderers were holding machetes and pans to collect the blood. She claimed that at the time of this incident she was sleeping in her hut which was in the area of her father Mabula Fimbo, while her six children were asleep in their grandfather’s house.

According to Flora, while still sleeping she heard a noise made by people coming outside and finding many people in her father’s house and she tried to ask what had happened and she was told to go inside and see for herself.

“I went inside and found my daughter Mariamu had been ruthlessly killed and her body lay on the bed with both of her legs gone,” she explained to the court in a voice hard to hear.

She claimed that when she asked her other children who carried out this murder, they told her that they saw Mashauri holding a torch.

This case, number 42 of the year 2009 is directed towards two accused, Mashauri and Mathias Italanga (60) better known as Mahona.

The murder of the child, Mariam, occurred on January 21, 2008 at 4 am in the morning in Nyangh’olongo village, Misungwi district, of Mwanza region.
Judge Rugazia adjourned the case until tomorrow when the second witness will begin to give their evidence.