More graves, bodies discovered as police beef up investigation in traditional healer's alleged killings

Dar es Salaam. New revelations have emerged, claiming that a traditional healer accused of murder in the Singida Region has another location in Chemba District, Dodoma Region, where six graves containing human remains have been discovered.

The Police Force said they have uncovered a total of 10 bodies of people thought to have been murdered, following ongoing investigations and interviews with three suspects, including the traditional healer accused of murdering Samwaja Said.

Among the uncovered bodies belong to two of the suspects' children, as well as four and two-month-old others.

The Police Force released a public statement on August 26, 2024, stating that it is probing and interviewing several suspects implicated in Samwaja's killing, cutting off his private parts, and burying his body in a pit.

The Police Spokesperson David Misime said in another statement released on August 28, 2024, that 10 bodies of people believed to have been murdered have been uncovered—three in Singida and seven in Dodoma, respectively.

He says in a statement that one was dumped in the forest, and the remaining nine had been buried in a pit following instructions from accused persons and the accused’s superstitious beliefs.

More bodies discovered

Mr Misime said significant cooperation from the public enabled the Police Force to discover two pits, one of which contained the body of Gideon Mnyawi, a resident of Makuro, Singida.

He said Nkamba Kasubi, a traditional healer, directed the sacrifice of Mnyawi after selling a farm to two different people, assuring the return of the money after conducting the exercise.

The second pit, according to the police, consisted of different human body parts, including a pelvis, a right arm, and a left arm of an unidentified person, saying further investigation was required to unveil the identity.

“Through investigation and interviews with the suspects, Selemani Nyalandu alias Hango, Said Msanghaa 'Mangu,' and Nkamba Kasubi, they said that the body belonged to Seleman Idd, 23, a resident of Makuro, Singida. They admitted to having killed the person by strangulation and buried his body in a pit on June 23, 2024,” the statement says.

Mr Misime says further interviews conducted in cooperation with the public enabled the Police Force to receive information related to another suspect, Miraji Nyalandu.

According to Mr Misime, the suspect was arrested on August 25, 2024, in Misughaa Village, Singida Region, while attempting to escape via a motorcycle belonging to Daudi Msanku.

The motorbike’s owner is alleged to have been killed, and his body was buried in Porobanguma Village, Chemba District, Dodoma Region.

“Investigation is underway. However, the arrest and when he met with another suspect, Kasubi, the traditional healer, on August 27, this year, they agreed to take the police to Porobanguma Village, Kwamtoro Division, Chemba District, where six other pits have been used for burying other murdered people,” another part of the statement reads.

Furthermore, Mr Misime says in a statement that after the exhumation process, a resident of Porobanguma Village who had been missing since March 3, 2024, Seni Jishabi (28), was identified.

However, the suspects told the law enforcers that the deceased was killed and buried in April 2024.

The suspects also confessed to having been killed by strangulation and buried Mohamed Juma (27), a resident of Nyamikumbi A, Singida Region, who went missing on May 15, 2024.

They said they also killed a resident of Gawidu, Manyara Region, Daudi Msanku, 27, and burned his body to ashes that had been in a bucket.

“He (Msanku) is the one whose motorcycle was found with Miraji Nyalandu as he tried to escape following a wave of suspect arrests,” the statement explains.

The statement mentions another victim, Ramadhan Yusuph (26), a resident of Kidika, Manyara Region, who was killed in April 2024.

A four-month-old, Mwekwa Kasubi, a traditional healer and killing suspect was killed in March 2023.

The two-month-old child, Maka Shabani, killed in June 2023, was killed by another suspect, Selemani Nyalandu, alias Hango.

“These children were buried alive in a livestock pen, and the suspects admitted to having killed Ramadhani Kilesa, 80, a resident of Porobanguma, and dumped his body in the Swangaswanga Game Reserve,” reads another part of the statement.

According to the police, Kilesa's body was found on July 25, 2024; however, the killing suspects remained unknown until August 27, 2024, when the suspects confessed to having committed the offence.

The law enforcement agent says the suspects expected his body to have been eaten by wild animals, but their plan failed.

“The Police Force is urging the public to continue providing accurate and truthful information and continue condemning these incidents from the family level to prevent future happenings of these vices secretly committed in the community.

“Let each of us genuinely educate others in our community about the evil and dangers of indulging in superstitions, greed for wealth without following the guidance of God, the country laws, social ethics, revenge, and jealousy in affairs,” the statement says.

Misime said the investigation into the series of incidents was underway in the Singida and Dodoma regions.