Albino killings draw death sentences

DODOMA, Tanzania, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Four men convicted of killing a 50-year-old albino and cutting off his head and legs have been sentenced to death by a court in Tanzania.

The verdict brings to seven the number of people who have been convicted of killing Tanzanian albinos in a wave of violence attributed to witch doctors, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

Witch doctors in Tanzania make magic potions from the body parts of people suffering from albinism and then sell the concoctions for thousands of dollars.

The slaying of more than 50 albinos, some as young as 6, has spoiled Tanzania's image as one of the most liberal and stable countries in Africa.

Albinos are born with a genetic defect that results in little or no melanin pigment in their eyes, skin or hair.