Widow of slain Arusha mineral trader speaks out as husband laid to rest

The businessman, a resident of Sanawari in Arusha, is alleged to have been taken by unknown individuals on February 12, 2026, beneath a 10-storey building owned by the Ngorongoro Authority in Arusha City, shortly after leaving a gym located in the premises.

He was not seen again until February 18, 2026, when his body was discovered by the roadside in Bereko area, Kondoa District, Dodoma Region. According to family members, the body bore severe head injuries consistent with a beating. Both arms were reportedly broken and the eyes gouged out.

Speaking during the burial, his widow, Jamilla Mohamed, said the family received news of his death with shock and deep sorrow, particularly considering the condition in which his body was found.

“My husband was gravely victimised. Even if he had committed any offence, he did not deserve such a brutal death. He should have been taken to the relevant authorities and dealt with in accordance with the law,” she said.

She appealed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan to intervene, saying the family had little capacity to pursue justice on their own.

“Our plea is for justice. We are asking the government to ensure those responsible are held accountable,” she said.

Disappearance

Recounting the events of the day he went missing, Ms Mohamed said that on the evening of Thursday, February 12, 2026, her husband left home as usual to go to the gym at the Ngorongoro building.

When he failed to return by around 8pm, the family became concerned.

“He never had a habit of coming home late without informing us. We tried calling his phones, but they went unanswered and one was switched off,” she said.

The family waited through the night, hoping he had encountered an emergency, but reported the matter to police the following day after he failed to return.

They also contacted relatives and friends while continuing to call one of his numbers that was still reachable, without success.

“On the fourth day, we shared his information with the media and circulated his photograph. That is when we received a call from Dodoma informing us that a body had been found in Bereko and that we should go to identify it,” she said.

According to the family, the deceased’s children travelled to Kondoa and confirmed that the body was that of their father.

Prior police questioning

Ms Mohamed further disclosed that a week before his disappearance, her husband had been summoned by police for questioning but was later released without charge.

“He told me he had been called for questioning over matters he did not understand. After giving his explanation, he was released and no case was opened,” she said, adding that he had no known disputes with anyone else.

His killing has sparked concern among mineral traders in Arusha, with some questioning how such an incident could occur in a highly secured area.

When contacted, Arusha Regional Police Commander SACP Justine Masejo said investigations were ongoing and that more details would be released once preliminary inquiries were completed.

“Investigations are continuing. We will inform the public of the initial findings once they are finalised. We urge anyone with information that could assist in identifying the suspects to come forward,” he said.

However, some traders have questioned the pace of investigations, noting that the building where Banjoo was last seen is equipped with CCTV cameras and guarded by armed security personnel.

The premises are located in an area that hosts key government offices and financial institutions, all of which have security surveillance systems.

A mineral trader, Festo Lucas, said it was difficult to understand how no arrests had been made despite the presence of surveillance cameras in and around the building.

“We believe the truth should be made public so that we understand what happened to our colleague,” he said.

The deceased’s son, Mussa Abdilah, urged police to conduct thorough investigations to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

"It is painful to see the condition in which our father’s body was found. We call upon the authorities to carry out a comprehensive investigation so that the perpetrators are identified,” he said.

Police have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the incident.