Corrosive liquid splashed on trader

Dar es Salaam. The owner of Home Shopping Centre, which runs a chain of home appliance shops, Mr Said Mohammed Saad, was rushed to a city hospital yesterday night following what police suspect to be an acid attack.

Unconfirmed reports say the businessman who was attacked near his newly opened Msasani Shopping Mall near Oysterbay Police Station around 7pm has been flown to South Africa for further treatment.

Acting Kinondoni Special Police Zone commander Ally Mlege confirmed the incident: “We have nothing to hide. We are investigating it and the truth will be known once the suspects are arrested,” he said.

Reports say Mr Saad was talking with one of his employees at his new shopping mall when an unidentified man passed near him and splashed him with the corrosive liquid.

Mr Saad was rushed to AMI hospital at Masaki.

“We talked to him and gave the look of the man who attacked him,” said a police officer who asked not to be named.

Reports also said police were yesterday planning to record another statement from him to establish if the businessman had received any threats before he was attacked.

Other reports said the attacker was riding on a motorcycle.

“They arrived while riding on a motorcycle. One of them disembarked,splashed the chemical on him, rushed to the motorcycle and disappeared,” said another source.