Donald Lukele
Resident of Muhimbili Street, Lindi Municipality, Saidi Mapanga (27), has narrowly escaped death after angry citizens beat him up on suspicion of kidnapping a one-year-old child for what was alleged to be ritualistic purposes.
The incident occurred near Angaza Secondary School, within the municipality, at seven o’clock in the afternoon.
Hafisa Juma, who works frying cassava in the area, claimed that while he was going about his business, he saw the suspect holding and feeding something to the child, then carrying the child towards the bushes, which startled him and prompted him to follow.
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He stated that after following and grabbing the suspect’s shirt, he asked where he was taking the child, at which point the suspect dropped the child and attempted to flee, prompting him to shout for help from the gathered citizens.
“This child belongs to my neighbor, we live in the same neighborhood, and he was playing outside their house when this man came and took him, feeding him something unknown before leaving with him,” he claimed.
Hafisa narrated that as the citizens continued to beat him, a group of teachers from Angaza Secondary School intervened, rescuing the suspect and providing him shelter in a classroom while calling the police to take him into custody.
Commenting on the incident, some teachers from the school, who preferred not to be named, said they saved the young man from being killed. After questioning him, he claimed he was sent by a traditional healer to find body parts of a one-year-old girl.
“When we questioned the suspect, he claimed he was sent by a traditional healer to find body parts of a one-year-old girl,” one of the teachers said.
The teachers said that after rescuing him, they reported to the Police Force, and their officers arrived and took him away.
The biological mother of the child, Halima Yusufu, speaking about the incident, said that on the day of the incident, while she was preparing food, her son was playing with his brother outside their house, but his brother left with other children, leaving her youngest son playing alone.
When asked about the incident, Lindi Regional Police Commander, ACP John Imori confirmed the arrest of the suspect Mapanga for interrogation.
He stated that they would bring him to court to answer the charges against him after completing the investigation.
The Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) directs that after arresting a suspect, the police must either bring them to court within 24 hours or release them, except for offenses related to the death penalty.
