Unveiling a tragedy in Tanzania: The dark secrets of a traditional healer linked to horrific deaths

Police investigations have uncovered grim evidence in Sawekwa, a settlement within Poribanguma. Six graves have been discovered, revealing the tragic fates of Seni Jishabi (28), Mohames Juma (27), Daudi Msanku (27), and Ramadhan Yusuph (26).

The disturbing list also includes Mwekwa Kasubu, a mere four months old, and Maka Shaban, the child of Selemani Nyalandu, a suspect allegedly linked to Kasubi.

The village, a cluster of eight neighborhoods—Namne, Monyole, Kakamwa, Konkinta, Kontinta, Bangumashuleni, Porokati, Maata, and Warimba—borders the Swagaswaga Wildlife Management Area and is situated approximately 107 kilometers from the main road leading to Manyara.

Kasubi's residence in Sawekwa, enveloped by forest, comprises more than three small living quarters, a grinding machine shed, and a distinctive circular shed.

Upon arrival, one encounters three houses used by Kasubi, Nyalandu, and their families, including seven children.

In front of a mud house with a grass roof lies a stone suspected of being used to grind Daudi’s body after it was burned. The ashes were then reportedly stored in a 20-liter bucket.

Behind this house, a grinding machine shed and a circular shed were found. In front of the circular shed, a shallow grave—less than three meters deep—was believed to have once contained Daudi's body before it was subjected to further gruesome treatment.

Community shocked

The unsettling news first broke on August 24, when a village council member from Poribanguma, Hamis Songoro, saw on TV that Kasubi had been arrested for murder.

The timing seemed fortuitous given the village's recent experience with unexplained disappearances.

“After learning about Kasubi’s arrest and the disappearances in our area, I immediately contacted the Kwamtoro Police Station at 5:00 AM,” Songoro recounted. “I expressed our concerns and was advised to investigate the area for any signs of burial.”

Upon reaching Kasubi’s residence, Songoro and his team stumbled upon disturbing evidence of burials. They promptly reported their findings to the police, who confirmed the presence of graves and instructed them to secure the area from August 25 to 26.

By August 27, the police, accompanied by district and regional teams, arrived with the suspects to lead them to the burial sites.

The first grave, identified as Daudi’s, was located behind the grinding machine.

According to Miraji, a relative of the accused, Daudi’s body had been retrieved, burned, and ground into a bucket.

During their search, authorities detected a foul odor of decomposed flesh and discovered various graves, including one that revealed a phone line.

Tracing the number led to a resident of Gawilu in Manyara, whose disappearance was now linked to Kasubi’s crimes.

Regarding two villagers still missing, Songoro reported finding one body and skeletal remains believed to belong to Ramadhani Kilesa.

It is speculated that Kilesa’s body was discarded in a nearby mountain and subsequently devoured by wildlife. The remaining bones were preserved and sent for DNA testing.

As the investigation continues, the community remains in shock, grappling with the horrifying revelations from what was once a quiet, forest-enclosed settlement.

At Sawekwa, a village leader Meru Darema said that upon reaching the area, they found four women and seven children in the traditional healer’s family.

“We had to first ensure their safety by keeping them indoors and protecting them from angry residents before proceeding with anything else,” he said.

Describing the circular shed, Darema said it had two doors, and in front of one door, there was a grave, while inside the house, there was a body of a person sitting.

READ: Tanzanian traditional healer sentenced to death by hanging for murder over alleged love affair

“He had been cut from the waist and was sitting inside that circular hut, which had a roof, on top of which there was an object resembling a decorative drum, with a small pot containing mysterious items,” he described.

Inside the circular shed, they found a hoe stuck in the ground, a knife, and a piece of sugarcane, and after digging, they discovered a human skull.

In the cattle pen, they found a grave where two children were buried.

In the same pen, they also found a goat carcass buried for no more than two days with a small puncture in its chest.

Chairman’s Statement

Porobanguma Village Chairman Maulidi Iddi said that on August 25, 2024, he was contacted by Songoro, a village council member, regarding the incident.

“I informed the ward leadership, including the councilor and the Kwamtoro Police Station chief. We came to the site and found a skull that residents had already identified.

There was also a body of a young man from my village, which was retrieved from a grave that had been dug.

After the Kwamtoro Police Station chief spoke with the Police Officer Commanding District of Chemba, instructions were given to locate the bodies, and they were expected to arrive on August 26, but they could not make it. We stayed there until evening with my people,” he said.

He said what led them to associate the traditional healer with Ramadhan was their friendship.

“He used to visit here frequently, and the last time he left from the healer’s home to go to his own, but he was never seen again. Fear arose about where the old man had gone, leading them to report and start searching for him,” he said.

He added that by evening, they had dispersed to return to their homes but had placed guards in the area to ensure safety until the police arrived on August 27, 2024.

Furthermore, he said the process of gathering information, identifying graves, and exhuming bodies took eight hours from 10:00 AM to 06:00 PM.

He said after this process, the suspects, including the wife and children, were taken by the police for further investigation.

On August 30, 2024, the District Commissioner of Chemba visited the site and instructed the police to take the suspects again to show where they had buried other people.

“The issue is that there is an old man named Ramadhan who has not been found up to now. They said they had killed him and taken him to a cave for hiding. We have not yet reached there, but the police said the suspects will be brought to show where they placed the deceased,” he said.

Solitude life

Darema said the traditional healer had registered at the village office in 2021, and since then, he had not been involved in development activities.

However, he noted that the healer was a person who preferred solitude, and the villagers rarely visited his residence.

“We only saw motorcycles or cars coming and going, but he himself had no interaction with anyone. He had his own maize grinding machine, which he used solely for his family,” he said.

He mentioned that the healer did not provide services beyond water, and other services were obtained from the Kwamtoro area.

“When we needed assistance, someone would direct us. When we needed development work, there was a young man who was sent to us for that purpose,” he said.

He added that the healer had never participated in community development, funerals, meetings, or any other services.

Chairman Maulidi Iddi advised all visitors to the village to introduce themselves by reporting to the village office and to be cautious about their surrounding families.

“And I urge them to live well with their neighbors and understand what their neighbors are doing in the area to prevent such incidents,” he said.

However, he noted that the incident had instilled fear in the community, making people cautious.

“People are very cautious now. When they see a visitor arriving in a car or motorcycle, even the children become frightened and run away,” he said.

He mentioned that there was a time when his wife and one of the suspects (Miraji) had a young child who then disappeared, causing them to wonder why the child was missing without any report of death.

“But when they investigated, a young man they knew had been relocated,” he said.

Dispute with neighbors

Darema said that in April of this year, the traditional healer dug deep holes in the forest, which caused goats and cattle to fall into them.

He said after finding the livestock had fallen into one of the holes, they called a meeting involving the village chairman and police to resolve the issue.

He said the healer, seeing the number of people, fled to the police station, prompting the leaders to accompany him there to explain what had happened.

Darema said the healer admitted he had dug the holes.