The suspects were identified as Goodluck Chacha (26) of Tarime town, Karume Kimwel (26) of Morombo in Arusha, Said Ramadhani (39) of Engosengyu, Arusha, and Elias Lyimo (53), also of Arusha.
Musoma. Police in Mara Region are holding four suspects over the theft of an ambulance belonging to the Musoma Municipal Council, which was allegedly converted into a tourist transport vehicle.
The suspects, residents of Tarime District in Mara Region and Arusha City, are accused of stealing the ambulance while it was providing services at Musoma Municipal Hospital.
Mara Regional Police Commander Pius Lutumo said the vehicle was stolen on October 25, 2025, while parked at the Musoma Municipal Director’s office, a short distance from the municipal hospital.
“Following the report, we conducted investigations and intelligence operations. Several people, including government employees, were questioned. However, our investigations established that the suspects responsible are the four currently in custody,” Mr Lutumo said in a statement issued on February 3, 2026.
He declined to disclose the suspects’ occupations, citing the need to protect the integrity of the case, though reports indicate that some of them are public servants.
The suspects were identified as Goodluck Chacha (26) of Tarime town, Karume Kimwel (26) of Morombo in Arusha, Said Ramadhani (39) of Engosengyu, Arusha, and Elias Lyimo (53), also of Arusha.
Mr Lutumo said the Land Cruiser ambulance, registration number STM 7830, was recovered in Arusha City while in the final stages of being modified for use as a tourist vehicle.
He explained that the vehicle was stolen at night and transported to Arusha, where the suspects began altering it before they were arrested through cooperation between security agencies and members of the public.
Investigations have been completed and the suspects are expected to be arraigned in court at any time.
There are also reports that the suspects are part of a broader syndicate involved in stealing ambulances from various local government authorities across the country and converting them into tourist vehicles.
However, Mr Lutumo declined to comment on the alleged network, saying further details would be provided by authorities in the respective regions.
“I am speaking on behalf of Mara Region. Other regions will provide information once their investigations are complete. For now, I am addressing this single incident involving the stolen ambulance in Musoma Municipality,” he said.
Mara Regional Police Commander, Pius Lutumo, displaying the Musoma Municipal Hospital ambulance after it had been stolen and its appearance altered.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that more than 10 ambulances have been stolen nationwide, with some members of the alleged syndicate believed to be public servants.
Meanwhile, some Musoma residents have called for accountability within the municipal security unit, arguing that negligence may have contributed to the theft.
Mr David Obure said the ease with which the vehicle was removed from the municipal compound raised serious concerns.
“Beyond arresting the suspects, the municipal security unit must be scrutinised. It is alarming that someone could enter the compound, pass through the gate and drive away with a vehicle without being detected,” he said.
Another resident, Mr Ismail Mbura, said the incident highlighted broader concerns about the safety of public property.
"If a vehicle can leave through the gate unnoticed, what about smaller items that can easily be concealed? This is a serious security risk,” he said.
In a separate incident, police also seized a Toyota Hilux, registration number T540 EGD, after intercepting it while transporting khat (mirungi).
Mr Lutumo said the driver, Abdallah Hussein (30), a resident of Kambarage area in Shinyanga Region, was arrested in Bunda District while transporting 67 kilogrammes of the narcotic drug to Shinyanga.
Additionally, during a police operation conducted in January this year, 190 suspects were arrested for offences related to 30 kilogrammes of cannabis, 2,464 litres of illicit liquor (gongo) and four machines used in the production of the illegal brew.
Mr Lutumo said case files are at various stages of legal proceedings, with some already before the courts.
